They Were Brothers
by magicbuspass
Summary: In the future of the Wizarding World, shortly after the death of Voldemort. Three new students attend Hogwarts alongside a new evil. The Deathly Hallows are found, the old scores are fought and a new adventure begins. Quite OC. Similar in feel to PS.
1. New Beginnings

_Harry Potter belongs to Warner Bros, Scholastic, Bloomsbury, Heyday/1498 films, JK Rowling and Raincoat books. I don't lay any claim to it. However, the characters Tom, Richard, Harry, Jodie and others which are not included in the books do belong to me. If you wish to use them, please ask for my permission._

Summary: This is set in the future of the Harry Potter world with entirely different people, the old main characters in the books are only referenced and sometimes met but they wouldn't play too strong a part in this book. This will be about the adventures of new people in Hogwarts where old rivalries and old scores are settled, and new ones are made.

Tom Selby: First character, muggleborn and gaming wizard. A bit like me, sometimes a bit of a nerd in terms of games.  
Richard Ashly: Do you get the Richard Ashcroft reference? No? Anyway he is normally called Richie. He will be a Lothario later.  
Harry Montana: Should have been called Carlos, but with Harry Potter saving the world and all that shiz his name is Harry, he has black hair and green eyes. Doesn't like to be similar to Harry Potter because he wants to be his own person.

They Were Brothers

Chapter 1 - New Beginings. **  
**  
The hottest month ever recorded in Britain was eventually drawing to a close and an eyrie silence beckoned on the Greenbank suburb of Plymouth. Hot, burning tarmac eventually was cooled, able to be driven on by cars, uncleaned by the hosepipe ban. Windows were drawn open and live programmes finally weren't filled with sweaty people reaching for the coldness of a glass of water with icecubes.  
Inside one of the houses though was a boy, the age of eleven playing on his brand new PS3 games console. 'Come on Mario!' the boy yelled while pressing a special sequence of buttons he pressed without realising. Sure enough, he won, mario was celebrating with Luigi and the Princess, Browser and the others were downtroddon, literally.

The boy was a skinny, blond haired and blue-eyed lad who had the look of someone with a lot of charm about them, otherwise known as cute. His clothing was brand new, totally designer, head to his converse-wearing feet. His appearence was very endearing to a lot of people, the girls at his old primary school were all over him. Although he rejected them, he thought girls had cooties. He had a knack at playing games as well, any games from board to the computer. He always won. There were several cases when he was playing Connect-4 with his brother where he was accused of changing the colours around. Or that case when he was little where he played Pin-The-Tail on the donkey when the donkey moved to help him win. These cases though were always considered, 'a trick on the mind'.

On the whole, Thomas considered himself to be very lucky, and not just in his gaming talent. His parents had died in a plane crash which occured so long ago he doesn't seem to rememberl. And where he would of ought to have been packed into a carehome his rich brother picked up the pieces and adopted him. Now he is living in a comfortable house where his brother and he live in.

'Bloody global warming' said his brother Mark as he opened the door and trod to the lounge, 'hey Tom'.  
Thomas nodded at him warmly while concentrating on _SuperPacman._'Ah, glad to see you're playing your Christmas present' he said grinning, 'never thought you were into the retro-modern cross over - Anyway Iâ€™m sorry about leaving you on your larry today.'  
'It's alright' Tom replied after his Pac-Man was shown being put on a barbecue by a blue coloured ghost, 'that software won't create itself by itself, right?  
'Right' replied Mark, loosening his tie, he looked directly at Tom and bought out his hand, 'we're pals right?'  
'Right' Tom said and slapped Mark on the hand; it was their secret and special handshake. The BBC News theme tune played and Tom and Mark's favourite show (apart from The Simpsonâ€™s) started. The first item of the news was the story of the Prime Minister going mad, 'THE PICTURE'S MOVING!' yelled the man who was supposed to run the country, 'THE PICTURE'S MOVING!â€™ The next ten minutes was filled with Psychiatrists trying to evaluate the Prime Minister's behaviour and Political Correspondents speculating what's going to happen. The next story was about a missing girl lost in Portugal, 'God, hope she get's back' muttered Mark quietly whilst squeezing his brother on the shoulder. Other stories ran through, red telephones becoming part of British Heritage and the water ban. _Finally, on another note Owls sightings has once again risen today, extraordinarily since records started this is the most startling day for Owl-Lovers as owls have been flying even during the day for many years._Mark and Thomas chuckled, 'what a funny age we live in' exclaimed Mark, 'the Prime Minister has gone loopy and Owls are flying around in midday!'. They didn't notice that in that room, an owl was looking at the couple carrying a letter addressed to _Thomas Selby 2nd Bedroom on the second floor 12 Greenbank, Plymouth._

12 hours later, and a fairly long distance away from the beauty of southern England Richard Ashwell and Harry Montana were sleeping well in their beds. After their continuous late night exploding snap tournament happened, they felt now that they needed sleep. They were staying at Richards house for another sleepover, they have been friends for many years that they could not recount the first time they met. They thought they were just about identical, they both proudly support Tornados (which have gone downhilll in the quidditch league). They like the same food (Indian and Italian and Icelandic) amd they lived the same way. In fact they are both next door neighbours so they were taught together, lived together and they swore to always be together.

After 8 hours of deep sleeping they unwillingly woke up after a huge uncalled for wake up call by Richard's sister, Anna. 'Gerroff me' grumbled Harry hiding under his duvet from the young girl's menacing figure, 'we don't want to get up'. 'Not even for Hogwart's letters?' Anna replied sheepishly. Upon hearing this they both leaped out of the bed and changed to their muggle attire quicker than a thunderbolt broomstick. They both ran into the kitchen and saw Richard's mum and dad and his uncle who was sitting on the corner of the breakfast table puffing a cigar and reading _The Daily Prophet _with Richard's dad looking over his shoulder_. _Richard's mum, Jackie, was a very well kept woman, not precococious or living through her kids but more on their level, she reads self-help guides and cook books to keep her mind on track and she works part-time as a Wizard-Advisor at several businesses like Florean Fortescues Ice-Cream parlour and Flourish and Blotts. She is a wife and a strong friend to Terry Ashly who works as the commander of the Magical Law Enforcement Squadron. He is in charge of his brother who lives with him till 'his feet get back on the ground'.  
_  
_'Oooh, Hermione Granger has got her self into a right mess' said Terry to his wife not noticing that his son and his son's friend was in the kitchen/dining room right in front of him. 'Apparently the newly elected Prime Minister didn't take it that well when she tried explaining it to him'. 'Nearly let the kneazle out of the bag, eh Jackie?' said the Uncle through his cigar who, like his brother didn't notice the two boys. 'I only hope she comes through' replied Richard's mum while buttering the toast, 'that girl has been through a lot, and her friends Harry and Ron'. 'What's Harry doing now?'.  
'Oh Gerry you should know, he's Defence of the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts' replied Jackie while putting the filled up toast rack on the table.

At that point, Jackie realised the new arrivals, she and Terry were always like this. She instantly hurried the boys onto the table and gave them their Hogwart's letters, 'we didn't even have to ask!' Richard said in amazement. 'What bugs me is' said Uncle Gerry after blowing out the blue smoke of his cigar, 'Is that McGonagall knew that Harry was staying over'. 'Ah, she doesn't miss a trick that woman, even in her old age, I swear she is nearing a 100 now' replied Terry, Richard's dad. 'No, around her late 80s now' replied Jackie who gave the boys her full attention wondering why they are just staring at the letter. 'Go on now, open it' she said softly, with tension in her voice.

_Dear Mr. Ashwell, _

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted __  
__at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please __  
__find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. __  
__Term begins on September 1. We await you owl by no __  
__Later than July 31. __  
__Yours sincerely, _

_Neville Longbottom Deputy Headmaster_

What I don't understand is', said Mark while sipping his cappuccino, 'that they want you, I mean, you're nothing more special than the rest of us'.

'Cheers bro.'

'No, I mean look at you, no horns, purple coloured eyes, green skin or, from what I know, you don't breathe fire. In short you don't look like a wizard'.

Tom sipped his diet-coke contemplatively. So far they were sitting in a Starbucks café in London, near a good spot by the river and next to the Globe theatre, this was the agreed spot. Along with a strange letter, driven by an Owl (which was the explanation of the Owl commotion in the news) they were given a more personal looking document saying exactly what they wanted to know. 'Meet at Starbucks, Globe Theatre for shopping trip'. He looked at the Globe, such a spectacular design. 'Yeah you're right, although maybe Witches and Wizards aren't the same as the people shown in there'. He pointed the teaspoon at the globe which was coincidentally playing Macbeth. Mark didn't say a word; he felt that this was a bit confusing for him. Instead he drank his cappuccino thoughtfully and tried to change the subject.

'You know, American cappuccino is so much better', said Mark. Thomas just raised his eyes. 'Well, you know Britain doesn't really know how to do it, although we ace tea'. Tom didn't say anything; he didn't know what to say. Mark aptly continued, 'I wouldn't mind going to America again, just for the coffee'.

'Oh, and leave me to Jane the bag-lady next door', Tom replied.

'Hey, leave her alone, you don't know anything about her.'

'I wish you'd tell me.'

'You're too young.' Tom groaned. This was always his brothers return to all his questions, 'Hey, I'm 11'.

'Yeah, too young', Mark replied curtly. At that moment his blackberry whirred into action. Mark instinctively checked it. The well known message of the modern era appeared, 'You've got Mail', flashed politely on the bright screen. He checked it and groaned, 'It's my office, they worked out I was in London, and Smith has a contract to be filled in, I have to go.' 'What about me?', Tom replied. Instantly Mark grabbed his wallet and gave Tom 200 pounds. 'Look, that guy said he would look after you when you meet him here. We'll meet each other in 9 hours, ok?'

'Fine' Tom replied, he was getting sick of his brother's company anyway, 'I'm not old enough for my question to be answered but I am old enough to wonder around the streets of London with a guy I've never seen before'. 'Yeah, whatever', Mark called out in reply while going out the door. 'What an irresponsible git', Tom muttered to himself. He looked at his glass, it was nearly empty.

Sighing, he looked outside the window. Nobody was there yet and nobody unusual lingered except the beggar on the street, but even he looked like he was just part of the setting of the inner-streets of London.

He dug his hands inside his jeans pocket and drew out his shiny-black iPod Nano and put the polo-plus-lollystick-looking head-phones inside his ears. He flicked through the menu using the wheel to scroll through to his favourite radiohead album, 'The Bends'. The music blared out of his headphones.

_I don't want to be krippled kracked_  
_Shoulders wrists knees and back_

Tom slumped back onto his seat, he would give the person an hour, otherwise he would simply go home.

_Ground to dust and ash_  
_Crawling on all fours_  
_When you've got to feel it in your bones_

The song was hypnotic for him; it always made him sleep and would make him unaware of his surroundings. Gradually he forgot to notice what was going on around him.

_When you've got to feel that in your bones_  
_Now I can't climb the stairs_  
_Pieces missing everywhere_  
_Prozac painkillers_  
_When you've got to feel that in your bones_  
_And I used to fly like Peter Pan_  
_All the children flew when I touched their hands_  
_They say you've got to feel that in your bones_

Tom woke up; the music had gone, along with his iPod. He instantly leapt up and saw a man ran out the door with his iPod in tow. 'Sorry, I couldn't stop him', the waitress called out in an apologetic voice. He didn't hear her, he ran to the door to chase the man, but smashed into something else instead. Or someone else. The man was huge, about 7 ft tall and carrying the man who took his iPod with one huge arm. ''Righ' Fletcher, out o 'ogwarts and you've started stealin' like your ol' man', the giant said. The man whimpered and gave the iPod to the giant and scampered off. He instantly gave it back to Tom. 'Ere ya go kiddie…hey you're not Tem Selby, are ya? We 'ere 'pposed teh meet 'erebouts'.

'I'm Tom Selby', Tom replied.

'Hey, you aren't related to that snooker player', said a voice directly behind the tall man. The man moved out of his way and Tom saw this stunningly beautiful girl. Tom looked instantly flustered, 'No, no way related to him, although my brother is called Mark Selby'.  
'Cool, I'm Jodie Heartly'

Tom flushed slightly, for the girl was a looker, and had a real nice name. However he didn't have time to pay attention to her figure for the tall man now leaned towards him, ' I'm Hagrid, 'n' I'm sure like others you have questions, but we don't have time so follow me'.


	2. Street Wise

Chapter 2 Street Wise-

Pride Street was your typical magical street. A perfect choice for all magic families. Where Tom's home was in the midst of the urban jungle, Pride Street was just part of a rural magical village. As it was unaccessible for non-magical folk they didn't need to hide their magic. You could see this in the moving markets and the cross-country Quidditch tournaments around the place. The houses were built as if they had been built in the middle ages, in a good way. Exciting arches and beams and patterns of gnomes or other magical creatures engraved into the walls which change colour according to the time of day. So you could see that the village of Rowan was a perfect choice for Richard's and Harry's families.

_'I am so going to get you!'_, shouted Harry as Richard lobbed another stink bomb over the hedge, landing on Harry's laundry basket. _'Not if I get you first, or again!'_, replied Richard, grinning. Harry cunningly hid behind the tree out of Richard's eyeshot who burst through the hedge, expecting to land on Harry's waist. As Richard toppled over, Harry flew onto his back and tied him down, laughing.

_'Oooh look at you two'_, said Jackie while carrying her papers. 'I just came back from Florence's Fire Fenders and I see this'. She shot her wand out and uttered one of her cleaning charms and everything went back to normal. 'Anyways, Florence said to me that because of my work we could go and eat some discount ice-creams at her brother Florean's Ice-Cream parlour. We could also get the school stuff. I was thinking we could go today if it's alright with your mum Harry'.

'Yeah, sure she won't mind', replied Harry grinning. 'Well, you better ask her first then!' said Jackie while smiling. Harry instantly ran towards his house shouting, 'Your mum is really cool Richard!'

'So why can't Dad and Uncle come?'

'Ah, they said that they needed to do a raid on house in Ottery St Catchpole or somewhere'.

They both laughed at seeing Harry running back grinning saying, 'It's alright! She's just given me the key!'

After having a successful landing at The Leaky Cauldron Jackie repeated the shopping list, reading the list off the note they were given in the letter. They all walked through the crowded pub smiling, mainly because some people in there knew them somehow. It is a small world if you are magical as it is impossible not to be related. Harry read allowed the note they were given.

First year students will require:

_The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1_ by Miranda Goshawk

_Herbology– Ground Level_ by Neville Longbottom

_History of Magic_ by Ruphundus Tibbins

_1001 Creatures and where to find them_ by I.K. Boatling

_Dark Arts Encyclopaedia_ by Remus Lupin

_1 wand_

_1 ministry-approved thick-bottomed cauldron._

_1 pet. Owl OR rat OR cat OR frog._

_Hogwarts Uniform_

'Pretty heavy isn't it' said Harry, 'we better get our money then'.

Richard nodded affirmatively as he watched his mother tapping the wall with her wand, trying to memorise what bricks to press.

The wall magically opened out and Diagon Alley was now in front of them. The ancient wizarding street which you could tell has been around for ages by the weathered stones in the building work and the dates on the shop windows. They weaved in between the other shoppers on the winding cobbled streets. In sequence they both turned their heads longingly towards 'Quality Quidditch Supplies' until Jackie ushered them off to go faster, telling them they would go later and Weasley's Wizard Wheezes is a bad shop even though they are taking in 10 times what their neighbouring shops are earning. They passed an old junk shop and Flourish and Blotts until they arrived where they wanted to go, the full majesty of Gringotts Bank.

The grand doors automatically opened and they gazed at the intricacy. After waiting for two minutes, and after being asked some pretty awkward questions (for security) they were taken to their money cells. Using a sack they took their money (70 galleons each) and left, their moneybags jingling.

'Well, that was interesting', said Richard bustling through the crowds of other people with their empty bags, looking for a refill. Jackie nodded, grinning like a teenager, 'Yeah, I love the getting money part of shopping at Gringotts'. 'I was being sarcastic', Richard curtly replied. Jackie pretended she didn't listen. She looked around through the crowds and smiled seeing a big man and a young man and lady. A huge smile spread though her lips and she called out, 'HAGRID!'

Tom felt that he had already made a friend at Hogwarts school as he walked around the muggle shopping complexes with Jodie. He felt that she was helping him get used to the 'other world' where Hagrid was taking them to. He looked around as the muggles swarmed in and out, and upon seeing McDonalds he felt a bit hungry. He was about to ask whether they could possibly have a quick bite or not, but he knew that they better move on.

As he walked he made a conversation with Jodie enjoying the conversation. The range of topics discussed drew on from Pop Artists, bands to computer games and television programs. She was the first one to ask anything personal, "So where are you from?" asked Jodie as they walked by a bright arcade.

"Oh, I live in a house in Plymouth with my brother; my parents died you see. What about you?"

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," Jodie said with a hint of sympathy, "my parents died too, when I was little. My foster-parents died as well, so I am living in a Foster-House now".

Tom felt a twinge of sorrow for the girl walking next to him.

"I'm sorry, that must really suck."

"Yeah, I am wondering if my first parents had a link to this world, I have only a surname to go on," replied Jodie.

"Oh? What is it?" Tom asked inquisitively. Realizing that he may be nosing in her business, he added, "Sorry, I am being a bit too intrusive aren't I?"

"No, don't worry about it" Jodie replied with a bright smile, "it's Zabini, I go by Heartly because it was my foster parent's name. That and I think Zabini is a bit weird for a surname" She grinned at him, "Have you heard of it?"

Tom shook his head in reply. "No," he said, "I haven't."

"Ah, don't worry. I will be surprised if anyone has. So how did you get the letter?".

"It just came by an Owl, it was so weird!"

"Really? I had this person from the school come to my house. His name was Longbottom. It's a funny name, don't you think?" Jodie gave a little smirk, she thought the surname was amusing, "He seemed quite nice though".

"Really? So what happened?" Tom was really interested now.

"Well he met my Social-Worker and said that I was invited to go to a boarding school. He showed her this piece of paper which seemed to answer all her questions, I guess. She didn't object to me leaving anyhow. Then he took me into my room, and told me himself that I was a Witch. He gave me this key, to somewhere called Gringotts, which I suppose is where we are going!" She smiled at him, and took a deep breath.

"I wonder why I didn't get a key? I was told to bring £75, do you think that-"

"Ah, you would 'njoy Hogwarts" Hagrid said loudly, cutting into what Tom was about to say, "'Uge towers, boomin landscapes, I should show you that flock of threstrals I got trained, right lovely bunch they are.". Hagrid kept rambling, both Tom and Jodie unable to get a word in. Tom felt that something else was going. His suspicions were growing with each passing moment.

They walked on, and Hagrid kept talking, but Tom and Jodie appeared to have lost concentration on what he was saying. Suddenly they were standing in front of a place which people passing by didn't even give a second glance but just ignored it as they walked by. Tom grew even more suspicious, starting to realise that it could be something horrible.

Something was about to happen. He heard about strange people who did bad things to children on the news. The guy leading, this Hagrid, looked strangely suspicious now, he had a dangerous look about him. Tom curled his fists and looked defensive, while Jodie interrupted Hagrid's babbling, "Where are we?"

"Oh, I though' I told yeh" replied Hagrid, "we're gonna go into the Leaky Cauldron, then Gringotts will be our next stop". Tom, thinking that he had come this far, couldn't rid himself of the unease but knew he may as well go in. Maybe his suspicious would be laid to rest. Jodie gave him an understanding look. He looked at the pub, it looked repulsive with blackened windows and the sign was covered in grime.

Hagrid walked up to the door and opened it, Jodie and Tom walked in and Tom was shocked to see a wizened figure looking down on them giving them an open smile, and he didn't have any teeth on them.

"Would you like a drink Hagrid?" said the barman, or the landlord as he was reaching for a glass, "Beer, Brandy?"

"No Tom, I am afraid I am jus' passin through, per'aps some other time though," Hagrid replied to the person.

There was a loud bang behind them and Tom saw a pair of men playing what looked like snap, but when ether a pair came a-cropper and someone said snap, it exploded. Tom didn't have any doubts about what was happening now.

"Come on now, we don't wanna be dawdlin' here now" said Hagrid, giving him what looked like a wise look. Hagrid walked on to a backdoor saying, "Follow me."

They walked through the back door into a courtyard and watched Hagrid search inside his pockets, which happened to look like they were the size of bin-liners. They saw him draw out a pink umbrella and Tom gave him a strange look. "Watch this," Hagrid said with an eager smile, "but don't tell any'un about the umbrella, it's a secret mind you."

They stood back and watched him tap several bricks, in amazement they saw the bricks slide away forming a perfect arch which was big enough even for Hagrid to walk through. What was also amazing was that a street opened up to them, "OH MY GOD!" shouted Jodie full heartedly in amazement. Tom gave a laugh, knowing that they have entered a new world.  
"Welcome," said Hagrid, "to Diagon Alley".

He chuckled at Jodie's and Tom's amazement. They stepped through the Archway. Tom looked back over his shoulder and saw the archway shrink insightly into the solid wall. at the quantity and strangeness of the shops they passed as they walked along the long cobbled street. Seeing people eat under the brightly coloured umbrellas outside cafés. Tom wished that his eyes could take in everything as they passed through the street. He turned his head in every single direction, into shops with names which were foreign to Tom's ears. Quality Quidditch Supplies which had broomsticks inside it,. "Look at that mate" Tom heard one of them say, "the Power-Phoenix - fastest ever". There were shops wihich were selling robes, wands and telescopes. They heard a huge noise coming from an Animal-Shop called Magical Menagerie (which had a jewel-encrusted tortoise by the sparkling window which made Jodie whelp). They passed the Apothecary and several bookshops. They also passed an eccentric shop called Weasley's Wizard Wheezes as he drew closer, Tom felt a huge surge of mischievousness.

"We'll be exploring 'em later" Hagrid said, almost as if he knew what Tom was about to ask, "we'll just have to go to Gringotts first, do you have your money Tom, and do you have your key Jodie?"

Tom remembered the request in the letter asking for everyone to bring at least £75 when they come. however his brother gave him £200. He nodded, feeling a huge bulge of notes in his pocket. He saw Jodie nod too.

They walked to a glistening snowy-white building and were stunned at what they saw. Patrick noticed that standing beside it's burnished bronze doors, wearing a uniform of scarlet and gold, was -  
"Yeah, that's a Goblin" said Hagrid quietly as they walked up the steps. The Goblin was so small that it only came up to Hagrid's knees. It had a face which shown intelligence and cunning, a pointed beared and unnusually sized fingers and feet, He bowed as they walked inside.

After walking through two sets of doors they were inside a huge hall with pure, glistening marble floors. Being stepped on by busy feet worn both by people half the size and twice as ugly as human beings and normal, magical people. They wandered on until Hagrid led them onto a queue which dispersed slowly. Eventually they were in front of a high desk, with a goblin sitting behind it. Hagrid spoke first, "this gurl is under number 5894 which is on special case 37 which Professor Longbottom discussed with Gringotts about".  
Tom's eyebrows lifted in amazement, he looked at Jodie who looked bewildered and slightly angry, she was about to say something to Hagrid but the goblin cut into her, as if he knew her reaction.

"Do you have the key" said the Goblin cutting into her the way he pronounced his words made the hairs lift off Tom's body. Jodie gave the Goblin the key warily as if she didn't want to let go.

The Goblin stared at the key and turned it over in his hands, "that is enough" he said and returned the key to Jodie.

The Goblin leapt up from it's chair and said, "Very well, I will find someone to take you to the vault, Grimetongue!"  
Grimetongue was another Goblin, his face was full of cunning but actually more uglier than other house-elves. Grimetongue looked at the people he would be leading, "Is the boy coming also?" "Yes," Hagrid said in reply.

After Jodie insisted on pocketing the key herself, and not letting Hagrid look after it. They walked out through a door leading off the hall. afterseeing the splendeur of the hall he was surprised to see a cold and forbidding cold tunnel with nothing but a railway track on it. Grimetongue whistled and a cart suddenly came up the tracks to join them. They all climbed in - Hagrid with a lot of difficulty - and sped off through the tunnel.

At first they were going through a maze of tunnels, twisting and jerking. The cart must of known where to go because Grimetongue wasn't steering. Eventually they raced even further down into something darker, Tom could of sworn he glimpsed something like a fireball but it was impossible to know because the Cart was going at such a breakneck speed.

Eventually the cart stopped and Tom felt a chill go through him as he breathed in the cold air. Hagrid staggered out of the cart murmuring, "I hate these journeys." and Jodie just looked dumbstruck.  
"Hagrid" she asked, "is there something you and Longbottom are hiding?"  
"Can't tell yer that," said Hagrid with an air of mystery, "more 'n my jobs worth, it can't come from me. I think Professor Longbottom will explain everything when we get to 'Ogwarts".  
Jodie was about to say something but she was distracted as the Goblin's hand touched the door and it whirred around and opened up, similar to the way the door to Diagon Alley opened. A huge mist of green smoke came billowing out of it. They entered into the vault and saw the mountains of gold, mounds of silver and heaps of little bronze nuts.

He looked again at Jodie and couldn't tell what she was thinking, her parents were magical, and very rich by the looks of it.

"My mum and dad, they were magical" Jodie said to Hagrid, "did you know this?"

"I wern't allowed to tell you abou' yer parents" he replied, "I'm sorry, no' allowed to tell you anything. You will be tol' at 'Ogwarts. I'm sorry, please don't question me."

Jodie stopped, if he was anybody more ordinary then she would have lunged at him, shouting at him about the years of waiting in that hell-hole. However, she was intimidated by Hagrid's size, and no matter how friendly he was, she was still intimidated by the fact that he could crush her. "They were called Zabini weren't they Hagrid?" she bought herself to say, with tears sparkling in her eyes.

Hagrid nodded, almost sullenly and defeated. Tom felt an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of his stomach, realization that he was in something older, deeper and more mysterious than the vault he was standing in washed over him.

They didn't speak as they took the cart-ride to the main hall. Jodie realised that something very dark was happening around her, as if her life was revealed as a big lie. He looked at Jodie's venomous expression at Hagrid who knew a secret about her but he won't say.  
Tom felt a shiver go down his spine, what if Hogwart's was as worse as this? Lies and secrecy? He felt that he didn't want to go to Hogwarts anymore. He should go to Thigby Comp with his normal friends and shut out magic altogether.

"Righ' then we better get your money changed" Hagrid said in a cheerful tone, "follow me, i've dun this many o' times before." They were soon led to a desk where sat a Goblin handle money as familiarly as a dealer with his cards. The Goblin looked at a set of numbers at the front of him (exchange rate) and on the space in front of him.

Tom walked up and said to the Goblin politely, "excuse me Sir, could you change £200 for me." The Goblin nodded and surveyed Tom carefully, "well that's why i'm here young man, although I hate this position the Great Griphook dealing with muggle money?"  
Tom felt a bit uncomfortable and was thankful to see the Goblin give him a sackfull of gold coins.

They walked away and Hagrid gave him a nod, "don't like those flamin' Goblins, 'at 'oblin especially." Tom looked at him with interest, "why not Hagrid?"  
"'Well, their's a big story about 'im connected with the down fall of 'oo know 'oo, he gave his services for the good side for the Gryffindor Sword, he 'ot it but then one nigh' it vanished an' returned to it's rightful owner, which is now Nevile Longbottom, to get money he's back workin' for the bank he 'obbed, but in a lesser position cos the other banks won't take 'im. As 'oo can tell he's very bitter."

Tom gave a nod of understanding, 'another tale' he thought silently, 'this place is full of them!' He started to onder who Hagrid refered to as you-know-who, because he didn't know. He was about to ask when suddenly he heard a huge exclamation, "HAGRID!"  
He turned around and saw this lady run towards the huge man next to him.  
"'Ell if it isn't little Jodie, 'ow are 'oo me old mucker?" Hagrid said as she gave him a hug.

He looked at the people with her, two lads his age. One of them shook their head and said with a coy smile, "please, don't ask." Tom felt an irresistable urge to grin.

Tom, Richard and Harry were like peas and carrots. Tom's sensible personality went on well with Richard's eagerness and brought about a new aspect to Harry's fierce and aggressive soul. Tom felt a bit left out initially as they conversed while making their way out of Gringotts.

"Hopefully we'll see a fair few Quidditch games this year", Richard said.  
"Yeah, I just hate the fact that we can't try out this year. I tell you, it's bloody stupid", replied Harry.  
"Sorry, but what did you just say? What is quidditch?" Tom asked with a bemused look on his face.  
"Are you for real?" Harry said with a slight smile, "Quidditch is a game where a team of people fly on broomsticks. One person catches a snitch, the other people hit the balls to people and some gain or stop goals coming through hoops"  
"Sort of like basketball."  
"What the heck is basketball?"  
"People run across ground and throw balls into hoops", Tom said simply.  
"What? Without flying or anything? That sounds absolutely crazy!" Richard exclaimed. Tom had no choice but to snort with laughter.

They continued on through Diagon Alley. Tom looked back and saw Jodie who looked a little left out of the banter between the boys. They went through several shops, some of which greatly amused Tom, like when he walked by a small shop which claimed to be a branch of Honeydukes. Inside there were about 5 kids floating 10 inches above the ground. He felt like he was in a film or a book and hoped feverously that it wouldn't be a horror one. He looked at the pubs and saw several wizards fighting over a game of Gobstones. One of them had pus soaked all over their clothes.

He crossed off several items from his list as the day went on. He bought robes from Madame Malkins which was a strange feeling because he never had his clothes fitted before. He bought several books from Flourish and Blotts which lightened his money bag and made his rucksack heavier. He also bought several objects from the Apothecary though he nearly felt sick after he saw items like 'hog's lobes' and a vile smelling dish called frogs tentacles. He walked through several shops and stayed a long while in Quality Quidditch Supplies and watched with amusement as Harry tested out nearly every bat in the shop for swing. Also Richard was checking through the gloves like a librarian through books.

Afterwards he felt slightly rebellious and wanted to go to the magical pet shop. Upon entering the place he was struck dumb by the sights. There were pictures everywhere of huge creatures - something like an albino elephant but with eight tusks and a ruby-embroidered trumpet.

He was fascinated by all the pictures because they moved, as if they were like televisions. He even checked the back of them to see if there were any circuit wires or any form of electricity. He stepped backwards when he arrived at one picture for two reasons. It wasn't a photograph like others, it was a portrait and the animal in the picture looked curious. Like a mix between an eagle and a rhino.

"I see you are fascinated by the Crumple-Horned-Snorkack" said a dreamy voice which made the hair on the back of his neck stand up. He looked at the speaker and saw an eerily beautiful blonde woman with weird earrings who looked as if she was in a trance.

"A crumble-horned-what sorry?"

"A crumble-horned-snorkack...the animal doesn't move much, it is a very shy picture," the woman said. She paused, gazing into the distance before suddenly snapping back to Tom's plane of understanding. "Oh, my name's Luna, Luna Scamander."

"Don't listen to her" Harry said, "there is no such thing as a crumple-horned-snorkack."

"There is too!" Luna replied vehemently, "they just don't get seen much, tell him Rolf!"

She gestured to a timid man, nerdy looking with glasses. "Sure there are honey sure they are", he replied simply.

As soon as Luna walked out of earshot the man quickly said to the kids, "Don't worry, that's Luna for you. Anyway, there are no such thing as crumple-horned-snorkacks but she is still chasing them, she drags me here nearly every day because she insists that the Pygmypuffs are miniature and future Heliopaths and wanting to note their utterly boring nature. She is an incredibly smart person though, first person to work out how to kill a Chimaera and live to tell the tale."

"'N I've never forgiven 'er for it" replied the booming voice of Hagrid.  
"Chimaeras aren't those lion-like creatures who breathe out hot fire with a snake and a goat attached to them, are they?" Tom asked. Richard looked coolly surprised. "How did you know that?"

"Just picked it up" Tom replied simply.

He felt that the little shred of information he knew about the wizard-world was comforting. Eventually Tom settled on buying an owl, he watched as Richard bought a cat and felt bewildered that Harry settled on buying a toad. "Toads are back in fashion" Harry said simply.

They all walked out and headed to an old and creaky place named Ollivanders. It was a strange place to walk into as the place was all dusty and full of cigar smoke. Tom coughed and tried to wave the smoky air away from him, apparently the smoking ban in Britain hadn't reached the magical world.

"Oh cripes, sorry 'bout that", a voice piped up and after a swish of a wand all of the smoke seemed to enter into the tip of a wand like water swirling into a drain. He made out the man who looked fairly good-looking but was smoking on a pipe which didn't look as if it suited him.

"I have started working for the family business, I am a bit new to shop-working but I like to think that I keep my Grandpa's excellent memory and knack of choosing the perfect wand."

The people went in a line, Tom was at the back and a very eager Richard was at the front. "I think you look like the charms type, your family seem to have a look of account and memorising but you are somewhat different." The man reached for a wand  
and passed it to Richard. He flicked it and some shelves flew down, the man tutted and said, "nevermind, Rome wasn't built in a day, try the old 11 inch Willow with Unicorn Tail. It is extremely swishy so it's brilliant for charms" Richard flicked the wand and the wand tip started igniting so bright and crackling like a sparkler.

"I believe this is the right one" the man said with a grin, he took the wand and placed it into a box and gave it back to Richard, "this shall be yours to keep for the rest of your life, be careful with it."

Harry was next, after about 5 trys he landed on an Ash wand with Centaur Hair.

"Centaurs are terribly fierce to Humans so you could imagine the difficulty in getting hairs, although I finally managed to find a friendly one called Firenze, he'll teach you Divination when you progress through school." Harry seemed quite pleased with the result.

Jodie was next, Ollivander didn't know what to make of her after what seemed like a 100 tries each with equally boring results Mr Ollivander grimaced and passed her a black looking wand. "This is a Hawthorn Wand with Dragon Heartstring, it's very unyielding I have to say" he passed her the wand. Quickly Jodie swished the wand and scarily what looked like a lightening bolt cracked out of the wand. "I think this is exactly the right wand for you" said Mr Ollivander wearily.

Tom felt an urge of excitement as he walked up to the counter. "Wand arm?" asked Mr Ollivander to which Tom promptly answered, "Left." He felt nervous as the man surveyed him curiously.

"Well Mr Tom I don't know what to make of you. I feel that you have a lot of raw-power in you. Something I haven't seen since Harry Potter and Dumbledore." Tom didn't know how to feel, he just simply shrugged. "This would take some time", Mr Ollivander said with a slight sigh. It did, after trying out what seemed to be every wand in the shop. The man looked slightly exasperated every time a wand failed. The man said quietly as if he was talking to himself, "well, you cannot go outside this shop without a wand...Ollivanders have never had that before, but this is very serious occasion, could this work?" Tom felt a bit uneasy, especially the look of Mr Ollivander as he drew out a key and opened a cupboard. "These contain very special wands, collected through the centurys, when we sell a wand, there always is another couple of wands made which have the same cores. We have the wand's with the brother-cores of Rowena Ravenclaw and Odo the Brave's and other historical figure's wands, some of them were owned by the characters on your chocolate frog cards." Tom heard someone whistle behind them and thought that this would probably be like receiving the boots of David Beckham. "I wonder if any of them call for an allegiance?"

Mr Ollivander took one wand out, "Aphrodia quite the charmer in a way of looks she had veela hair, this wand was made out of Rosewood and with the hair from the same Veela." Tom gave it a wave, a red rose dully fell out of the wand.  
The owner took the wand back into the cupboard and carefully took out a dark looking wand, "Ash with sentinel-heart, very rare, it's brother's wand was owned by Grindelwald. Tom gave it a flick but only a spider fell out.

"Okay that didn't work", Ollivander said as he took back the wand and reached inside the cupboard, "okay, I have a feeling this one might." The wand-maker handed Tom the wand, he swished it again and suddenly was taken aback by a series of fireworks flying out of the wand. He felt a huge burst of excitement. As the fireworks faded he looked into Mr Ollivander's smiling face.

"I believe the wand has finally chosen the wizard. Interestingly enough, that wand's core is the brother of the core of the wand previously owned by none other than Albus Dumbledore."

"Dumbledore huh?" Jackie said while they exited Ollivander's.

"Yeah, it was a bit of an advantage that they had to follow the Wand Economy Law eh?"

"They made the Wand Economy Law, Harry, so the wand is sold at the price of the materials and the added 5 Galleon profit margin," Jackie stated and shrugged at the weird looks from the rest of the group, "it's something I picked up at work."

"Dumbledore was the best man I ever knew, save 'Arry of course" Hagrid said reminiscently, "Great man, Dumbledore, great man"

They walked back in the direction of The Leaky Cauldron and Tom felt content about what he has purchased as he had crossed off every item on the list. He turned back to Hagrid and asked, "Shouldn't we be going by now?"

Harry interrupted them, "Oh come on Tom, you ought to check out Weasley's?"

Tom was instantly reminded of that funny shop he passed earlier with Jodie, he looked at her and felt a bit sad as she looked left out.

Hagrid replied, "Well, we might as well drop in and say hello to George, per'aps Ron would be there."

"Yeah that would be a laugh" Jackie said while nodding.

Passing by were many wizarding families with small children. Most of the children were grinning with pleasure and walking with a spring in their step. They had a look of mischief on their faces while on the other hand the parents had a mournful look on, perhaps because of the amount of money they had spent and worried about the mischievous glint on their children's faces.

They walked inside the shop and passed through several stacks of boxes. Jackie started looking around while Richard and Harry picked up a set of Exploding Snap. Tom walked up to Jodie in an effort to make a conversation.

"So yeah, you feeling as weird as I am?"

"Weird as you, no chance," Jodie replied with a smirk on her face, she turned around and picked up an object which was similar to the wands they had just bought earlier. She jumped when it turned into a Rubber-Chicken. Tom cracked up with laughter while Jodie, smiling joyfully, started attacking Tom hilariously with the chicken.

"GET THE HELL OUT OF MY SHOP!"

They whipped around as one and at once were blinded by the beams of light that were heading off in all directions. Through all the turmoil in the shop they could make out a middle-aged man who seemingly did not possess one ear but a load of red hair. At this moment this bothered him little, as they watched him masterfully directing several red coloured jets out of his wand at a shady man wearing a cloak. Out of nowhere came another red-headed person, firing a burst of hexes at the man. The man deflected the shots and managed to reach the door and stumble out of it and as soon as he reached the outside world he vanished into thin air.

"What the bleedin' hell was that about?" said Harry.


	3. The Train

Chapter 3 Of Trains and Danger

The Magical Law Enforcement Squad streamed in to take care of what happened. Tom noticed the men recounting what had happened to them, and the description of the intruder. They nodded and left the damaged shop. Tom looked around in bemusement. Everything was ruined. In fact many of the items had been reduced to dust.

The man with red hair walked towards them, his wand now stowed away.

"You two alright?" He quirked an eyebrow before continuing, "I'm Ron, Ron Weasley."

Tom stared at the man's features. He looked somewhat middle-aged, with a hint of grey hair but there was an aura of kindness around him.

"Yeah, what just happened?"

Ron grimaced and replied, "Probably a rogue death eater on the loose, and don't you worry, we'll catch them." The man stood up, nodded to the one-eared shopkeeper, ran out of the door, and vanished.

Tom walked towards the rest.

"Do you guys know who you just spoke to? Ron Weasley, Order of Merlin 1st Class, Auror and the brother of Ginny Weasley of the Holyhead Harpies!"

"He could be Jesus Christ for all I care!" roared Jodie, "what the hell just happened here and what the hell are death eaters!"

Hagrid grimaced."Now don't you worry, the Ministry will sort this out." They all gathered around "Anyway, I think we should be heading back now." Tom nodded, he was getting quite tired and he was a little shocked at what happened.

They parted ways in front of the Apothecary. Tom nodded at Richard and Harry. They walked back through Diagon Alley, through the Pub and back into the muggle world. On the way, Hagrid gave them a ticket with Platform Nine and Three Quarters on them. He explained that they could get through the wall between platform 9 and 10. If somebody told this to Tom earlier, he would have thought they were pulling his leg. Now, he did not know what to believe.

They walked towards a train-station, Jodie said to Tom, "okay I'll see you later then." She gave a nod to Hagrid and walked through the ticket barriers.

They returned to the same Café next to the Thames where it all started. He spotted his brother looking very anxious and then relieved that he was there. Mark looked at Hagrid's appearance and his eyes darted into a frown. He looked at Tom again and his eyes then darted back to Hagrid with a look of deep suspicion.

The incident at the Café earned Tom a long and enduring interrogation. By the time Tom had a chance to speak Mark had tripled his distrust of Hagrid. Tom explained what happened at Diagon Alley, how he witnessed a robbery and Hagrid ensured his safety, he even presented many magical items to show that the magical world was real. Eventually Mark was convinced.

For the first time in his life, Tom was happy that the summer was drawing to a close. As usual Tom kept to his room with his new owl for company, and for the first time, his computer games on the side. He had decided to call the new owl Graiher, as in the Eagle in The Hobbit. While Mark was pleased that Tom was happy he was unhappy that they wouldn't spend that much time together.

On the last day of August Tom asked his brother about getting to King's Cross the next day, so he went downstairs to the living room where Mark was typing on his laptop.

"Hey, bruv?"  
"Yeah, what's up?"  
"I need a trip to King's Cross tomorrow, do you mind giving me a lift?"  
Mark gave a huge swear and said, "Oh, sorry mate, I actually have this huge meeting tomorrow. I'll just give you the cash and get a cab." Tom shrugged his shoulders, it wasn't the first time he had done this. Tom and the Cab Office were practically on first name terms.

Tom woke up as soon as he could the next morning. He got up annd pulled on his jeans and T-Shirt. He didn't want to walk into King's Cross in wizard's garb. He checked his Hogwart's list to see if he had everything in his case. Two hours later he hailed a cab and was on his way.

He reached King's Cross at half past ten. The cabbie kindly put his case on the nearest trolley. He wheeled it inside the station and then faced platforms 9 and 10. Of course, Richie and Harry told him about going between the wall but he felt a bit uneasy because they might have said that as a joke. They'll probably be laughing if they see him crash into a brick wall while they tapped a random brick to get onto the secret platform. Eventually Tom braced himself ad ran trolly in hand through the wall, his eyes closed.

When he opened his eyes he saw a scarlet steam engine standing next to a platform packed with people. A sign over him said - Hogwarts Express 11 o'clock. Tom looked behind him and saw that, engraved on a wrought iron archway where he just went through were the words _Platform Nine and Three Quarters. _He had done it.

Below the drifting smoke from the engine were the heads of chattering people. He gazed fervently for a familiar face and eventually he found Jodie, looking just as confused as he was.

As Tom Selby walked towards Jodie he noticed that many of the carriages were already packed with students, some of them were just chatting with each other, some leaning over the windows to talk to their families and some merely fighting for their seats. Tom pushed his trolley down by Jodie thinking that as she is familiar then the train journey wouldn't be as awkward. He passed a tall dark-looking boy who was saying, "mother, no you don't have to worry the food at Hogwarts would be perfectly adequate."

A boy was surrounded by a large crowd.

"Oh come on Ted, change for us."

The teenager smiled and nodded and his hair instantly turned into dreadlocks, the people around him laughed. Tom wondered what the boy's actual appearance looked like.

Tom pressed on though and saw Jodie finally getting herself on the train at the empty carriage near the back, He put his owl inside first and placed his trunk on through the doors.

"Hey, Tom is it?" It was one of the people he met in Diagon Alley.  
"Hey Harry, it's Tom!" Richard said.  
Carl prodded Richard and they all walked on the train with their trunks safely packed away in the compartment's corner. They both walked on and sat by Jodie who was listening intently to an MP3 player. "Hey Jodie, you do realise that your MP3 will go berserk in Hogwart's right?" said Richard,  
"Yeah, I know" said Jodie, "but it isn't actually mine, nicked it when I was making my way here."  
Tom gawped at her, while Harry and Richard were laughing.  
A sharp familiar voice ran through the carriage, "Richard, you will behave yourself right?" Richard sighed saying, "yes mom." Harry smirked.  
"And you Harry, especially you" barked her husband"  
"Alright Mr Ashly."

The whistle was blown, the three all looked out of the windows and Richard's parent's were giving their farewells. Richard's mum leaned into the window and gave him a kiss.  
The train began to move. Tom looked as everyone on the platform started to wave and grow smaller and smaller and they eventually disappeared as the scarlet train rounded the corner.

They all sat down, they all glanced at each other with raised eyebrows and then stared back at the windows, all smiling.  
"So you guys know what Hogwart's is like?" Tom blurted out.  
Harry gave a little smle.  
"Well, we haven't actually been but I heard it's a real laugh, just as long as we all get sorted into Gryffindor."  
"What's so great about Gryffindor? What about the other houses?" Jodie asked.  
"Well" Harry replied, "Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw are fine although not as great as Gryffindor because all the cool people went there, Slytherin are just filled with basically evil people."  
"Why'd you say that?" Tom asked.  
"Well, think of it this way, the heir of Slytherin was a mass-murdering evil guy who Slytherin all adored."  
"Right" Jodie nodded in an unconvinced way.  
No guesses where Richard and Harry want to be in, Tom thought.  
Jodie reached towards her ears and took out the mp3 player, she pulled out her headphones, stood up and threw the MP3 player out of the window.  
Tom looked at her in an amused way and she said, "well, absolutely rubbish music anyway."

The door of the train compartment slid open and the tall, skinny dark-haired boy he saw earlier came in with two girls both with strongly combed black hair and heavily-applied mascara which made the eyelids tall and black. The boy was looking at him and Jodie with a lot of interest and appraisal.

"Are you two from the muggle world?" He said with disdain with the word muggle.  
"Yep" said Tom. He looked at the boy who looked a little offended at his answer.

"So it's true, there is some filth on this train." The girls by him sneered. "Oh by the way, this is Glacie and this is Regina" said the boy with over-curtesy. "And I am Nathaniel, Nathaniel Dolosus. Anyway more dirt in this carriage and it will turn into a sty, if anyone wants to leave, you can come to our carriage, goodbye."

The boy turned and walked through the door into the next carriage followed by strong glares.  
"Jerks", Jodie said as soon as they were out of earshot, she made a rude hand gesture as well. "Have you guys met Dollosus before?" Tom asked. "Well, you should of heard the way my dad and uncle go on about his dad, a right dipstick if you ask them" said Richard.

After a while they seemed to have gotten over Nathaniel, however Jodie seemed a bit more thoughtful and asked questions over what the society is like in Hogwarts. After a couple of hours Tom noticed it was getting dark. He soon began to recognise the landscape of Scotland with tall mountains and the autumn forests under the sky.  
"So Jodie, tell us about you" Harry inquired.  
"Well, there isn't much to say," said Jodie. "My parents had gone incognito when I was a baby, they're probably dead. So I have lived in a children's home through-out my life, well adopted once but then chucked right in again. I used to just escape and hang around the streets once or twice with some mates. One day this guy called Longbottom, the man who wrote the Hogwarts letters came in, glided straight through the people and did some magic and then talked to me a lot and asked me if I want to go to Hogwarts. I said yeah and that was that."  
Tom noted that she didn't say anything about her hidden Zabini background they both discovered in her families vault at Gringotts. The lie to Nathaniel told Tom that she did not want any to know about her family, and her roots before she knew, least of all Nathaniel.

Richard nodded, he turned to Tom, "alright Tommy-Wonder-Boy tell us a little more about yourself while we're at it."

Tom smiled, he knew that Richard was referring to getting Dumbledore's twin wand. "Well, my mum and dad died when I was about 7 in a plane accident. Luckily me and my brother weren't on the plane. Since then me and my brother just lived with each other, living off the inheritence and his job. I got the letter by Owl and met Hagrid, and that's all pretty much."

"Well," said Harry whimsically, "I am a mass-murdering lycan with a preference to the O blood group."  
"No you idiot, vampires are the ones who eat people's blood not werewolves" said Richard.  
"Alright fine, a bloodsucking werewolf vampire" replied Harry with raised eyebrows.  
"No, I keep on telling you this but there is no such thing as a werewolf-vampire."  
"So you say."  
"Yeah, and this is coming from a guy who believes that snitches come out of a Gnomes -, nah I won't say it." Everyone laughed except Harry who was being pointed at by Richard in a mock-chiding manner. "You guys will think it is funny, but Harry's stories will get worse when we come to Hogwarts, line-dancing centaurs this, Deathly Hallows that."  
"Oi, Rich, don't mock the Deathly Hallows, it's a true story, my mum told me, and the Hallows are in Hogwarts itself,  
"Woh woh woh, what's the Deathly Hallows?" Tom inquired, seeming confused.  
"Oh of course, you guys wouldn't know, it's about three brothers defeating death and each gaining a stone which can resurrect people from the dead, an undefeatable wand and an invisibility cloak."  
For an hour Richard went into details about the story, with Harry adding the interruptions. Tom's heart stopped for a moment when he heard about a stone which can resurrect people. He knows that magic can do really cool stuff, but can they bring his parent's back to life?

Around half-three a great clattering was heard outside on the corridor and a young smiling woman in her twenties slid back the door and said, "Anything off the trolley, guys?"  
Tom, who was eager to see what all kinds of the magical world, was like leapt to his feet with Harry and Richard. Jodie shook her head.  
He looked at the sweets, everything was unfamiliar, there wasn't any Kit-Kats or Smarties but what the trolley carried was Botts Every Flavour Beans, Chocolate Frogs , Liquorice Wands and other strange assorted things. Careful about his money he picked several things and paid the woman.  
As the others bought their purchases he walked back into the compartment and sat on the empty seat. The others joined them and he eagerly unwrapped the closest thing he had to hand. Suddenly a frog burst out onto intending to go on his face, he quickly swiped it instinctively. "You have good eyesight" said Harry while munching his liquorice wand.

The train was starting to be slowing down.  
They all jumped up and started putting on their robes, everyone's ties hanging loosely with no top button they all had an appearance of neat scruffiness.  
A voice echoed: "We shall be in Hogsmeade in 5 minutes time. Please leave your luggage on the train as it shall be taken off separately."  
Tom shuddered with anticipation, Harry was a little more peppy than usual. As soon as a bell had rung they all joined the crowd thronging by the doors.  
The train stopped. People pushed their way out of the door and out on the platform. Soon Tom shivered a little in the air, and he felt a little shadowed. He looked behind him and saw Hagrid bobbing along the crowds, carrying his lantern shouting with his booming voice, "Firs' years! Firs' years over here!"  
The group joined around him, they found that they were the last people, Nathaniel was moodily standing waiting.  
"C'mon now everyone, follow me - all firs' years follow, an' mind yer step, now!"  
They followed Hagrid down a tall and contracted path. A huge buzz of voices were clouding over them with excitement.  
Suddenly the path opened up to the edge of a dark lake. Perched upon a mountain on the opposite side sat an immense castle with many turrets and towers.  
Sat by the dock in the lake were a fleet of little boats with no method of steering or force. "No more'n four to a boat" called Hagrid pointing to them. Tom and Jodie followed Richard and Harry into their boat.

"Everyone in?' Hagrid shouted, "right then - FORWARD!"

All the little boats moved off at last, moving across the lake so perfectly it was like gliding on ice. Everyone was in awe at the sight of the towering castle which grew larger and larger as they drew near. As the boats at the front were approaching the castle Hagrid yelled, "DUCK" and as they obeyed they all sailed into a tunnel underneath the castle. They soon reached the harbour and clamoured out onto the rocks.

As soon as everyone had clamboured out of their boats they all walked up the stony steps and crowded around a huge oak door. Hagrid raised his fist and knocked three times.


	4. The Sorting

Chapter 4 - The Sorting

The door briskly opened at once. A tall, moon-faced man in black scarlet-lined robes stood. The man had a very friendly looking face and Tom's thought was that he was a man who will be alright.

"It seems you are early, well done Hagrid you made great time," said the man.

"Cheers, Professor Longbottom, you better take 'em from 'ere.

The door opened wide. The entrance hall astounded Tom as it was bigger than he had expected off a school. It reminded Tom of a holiday he had taken with his brother, the entrance of the building where Mark had his business had nothing on this. The stone walls were decorated with flaming torches and the ceiling was too high for him to see. Ahead of him was a grand stone staircase leading upstairs. It seemed as more of a palace than a castle.

They all followed Professor Longbottom, Tom took the opportunity to glance at Jodie who looked mightily impressed. They walked into a small room where the buzz of the other students in the other room was audible.

"Alright everybody, welcome to Hogwarts School," said Professor Longbottom, "As you can already here, the other students are at the start-of-term feast, however before you shall join them, you shall be sorted into houses. These houses are Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. Each house has it's own history, and each house has produced some outstanding students who no doubt some of you may be. While you stay in these houses, they will be like your family; you shall have classes in your house, sleep in the house dormitory and spend free time in each respective common room. Your triumphs shall earn you house points, while any misdemeaurs will lose House-Points. The house with the most points is awarded the house cup."

"The sorting ceremony shall begin in a few minutes in front of the whole school. I suggest for you all to brace yourselves up in the spare time you have."

Tom's heart started beating faster than usual; he felt an excited buzz, he breathed deeply and counted to ten. He looked at the other people who smiled nervously at each other.

"I shall return when everything is ready for your arrival," said the Professor, "please be quiet."

Tom turned around and faced Richard and Harry. "Oh right, Tom, if you're not in Gryffindor, we'll kill you, no pressure," said Harry. Tom grinned and asked, "how are we sorted is it a test or something?" Richard gave a knowing smile and said, "relax mate, apparently we will wear a hat on our heads which would say what House you shall be in by looking at your mind and seeing your attributes."

"Brave for Gryffindor, loyalty for Hufflepuff, knowledge for Ravenclaw and cunning for Slytherin." Harry finished. Tom sat there wondering what field he would be in, he didn't think he was knowledgeable or loyal, or even cunning or brave, he wondered if as soon as the hat would go on him the professor would go up and send him home because he wasn't what they had wanted. He moved his eyes to the door and wondered how long it will be before the professor will come back and open the door.

Then he was caught up in a conversation which made his hair prick up.

"Well, apparently the heir of Blaise Zabini will be in our year, and apparently he who she will have no idea about their parentage."

He recognised where the voice was coming from Nathaniel.

"Anyway my bet would be on them going to Slytherin, pretty much because they are a prominent Slytherin family, although maybe being illegitimate might come into it. So we'll wait and see."

Tom was worried at this point, he looked across at Jodie who seemed blissfully unaware of the revelations going on around her. Her focus was at the doors as he was. He wondered if he should tell her what he heard, after all, she was his mate. He wondered if he was more loyal than he actually realised.

The door opened, Professor Longbottom had returned.

"Alright guys form a neat line and follow me." Professor Longbottom told the first years.

Feeling a little courageous, he put himself by Nathaniel to see if he can hear anything else from him. However, Nathaniel kept himself in an icy silence. Richard followed behind him and they all walked out of the chamber, across the corridor and through into a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.

Tom was even more amazed at the great hall than he was with the Entrance Hall. He never imagined it would be such a brilliant place full of candles floating in mid-air. The four adjacent tables were all laden with shiny golden cutlery. Another table was at the end of the hall where the teachers were sitting. They all stood in a line in front of them. In order to avoid the stares from the other students Tom looked above at the ceiling that seemed like it was enchanted to mimic the sky. A stage rose out of the floor, he looked behind him and saw a small man sounding the words out of his mouth.

Professor Longbottom ceremonially placed a four-legged stool with an extremely patched and dirty wizard's hat on it. The hat looked extremely worn out. For a few seconds there was silence when suddenly the brim opened wide like a mouth – and began to sing:

_Yet another year has passed,  
With relative calm and peace,  
However we all must be alert,  
Of the day when it shall cease.  
Oh, you all can keep your secrets,  
Or tell your truths instead  
However don't try to hide yourself  
As I can see inside your head.  
So try me on and I shall reveal  
Where you all shall be  
You might join wise Ravenclaw  
Where knowledge is the key.  
You might be among Hufflepuff  
Where they shall be of good heart  
These Hufflepuffs are welcoming  
Where loyalty sets them apart.  
Brave Gryffindor might be you.  
Daring and chivalrous to the hilt  
You shall start on an adventure  
Where your courage shall be built.  
Slytherin is where you might be at home,  
Renowned for their ambition and cunning  
Destined for a life with real friends,  
Where your futures shall be stunning  
So step up and embrace,  
I am nothing you will laugh at,  
I am not a mere piece of headwear,  
__For I am the Hogwarts Sorting Hat!_

The whole room burst into apprehensive applause as the hat finished. The hat bowed to all four tables and then became quite still again. Professor Longbottom stepped forward and after a couple of moments, the whole room fell silent.

Addressing the First Years the professor said, "when I shall call your name you shall step forward to be sorted."

"First of all, Richard Ashley!"

Richard stood up and walked confidently out of the line, he gave a smile to Jodie, Harry and Tom and said, "see you all at the Gryffindor table." He walked onto the stage, sat on the stool and as soon as the hat touched his head it cried out, "GRYFFINDOR."

The table Tom was facing clapped and cheered as Richard sat down at the Gryffindor table. He noticed several people reaching out their hands to shake.

"Glacie Braithwaite!"

"SLYTHERIN," shouted the hat, Tom watched as the girl he met on the train walked onto the Slytherin table.

"Simon Clay" then became a Hufflepuff, he looked at the table, they all looked happy. He felt a bit uneasy going there, as he didn't see himself that much as a happy person.

He noticed that the sorting hat could spend ages trying to place a person but it could place one in an instant. Like "Nathaniel Dolosus" where the hat exclaimed, "Slytherin" as soon as it touched his hair.

Several people passed through and were sorted, including Regina. The Slytherins looked like they were holding a majority.

"Harry Montana!"

Harry smiled and walked through past the stares of his fellow students and confidently sat on the stool. He placed the hat on his head and within an instance the hat's crumpled face turned into one of deep thought. Two minutes passed and everyone was expectantly looking at the hat to make a decision. Harry was murmering the word Gryffindor many times.

"Okay, if you insist and I don't see why not, GRYFFINDOR!"

The house below the gold and scarlet banners applauded, Tom nearly heard someone shout, "When's the food!"

There weren't many people left, the numbers were dwindling,

"O'Donnell … Patel … Quintus … Ramora then Scamander" and at last –

"Tom Selby"

Tom stepped forward and saw the people craning to get a good size of him, trying to guess what house he will be in.

"Hmm," said a voice in his ear. "This one is harder than I expected, I see knowledge in him and some loyalty but mixed in he has a lot of nerve and bravery, I see you are looking out for another, interesting, very interesting. I don't see any sort of Slytherin in you though … So where shall I now put you."

Tom moved his head and looked at Harry and Richard who were making beckoning hand movements signalling him to join them.

"I see that your friends want you to join them in Gryffindor, but you can make other friends, wise or loyal ones. However I think that there is one house I think that you will be suited, your friends shall be happy – GRYFFINDOR!"

Tom smiled and shakily walked towards the Gryffindor table, he was relieved that he wasn't in Slytherin or with people he didn't know. The people sitting on the table gave him a great welcome, Harry clapped him on the back and Richard laughed at Tom's relieved expression.

Now there were fewer people, several people collapsed into their chairs. He now had a better view of the staff table, on the largest chair sat an elderly yet gaunt lady, Minerva Mcgonagal. She looked around the tables checking that they were behaving themselves. Tom spotted Hagrid waving brightly, he spotted several others a woman with an Asian complexion and a man with a strange lightning-bolt scar on his forehead.

"That'll be Harry Potter" Richard said, noticing Tom's attention, "greatest wizard ever born, I heard he has enough magical raw ability to match Merlin." Tom was awed at the amount of liking the man got.

Finally, the last name was on the list.

"JODIE ZABINI!"

As she stepped forward, whispers suddenly broke out, mainly from the Slytherin side of the room.

"Did I just hear Zabini?"

"It's actually her?"

The hat dropped over Jodie, enough to cover her eyes which was convenient as Tom thought that she would of wanted to avoid the sight of the whole hall craning to look at her. They all waited. Tom heard Harry distinctly chant "Gryffindor, Gryffindor."

A few seconds seemed like an eternity to Tom, he was so silent that he heard the blood throb into his head.

"Zabini, I know what to do with you, SLYTHERIN!"

"No!" shouted Harry in shock, indeed Jodie looked as surprised as he was. Pale faced, she sat down next to Nathanial, who had saved her a seat.

"What the hell was that about," Richard muttered to Tom.

Tom was about as surprised as he was, she didn't seem the Slytherin type, for starters she made friends with Tom, Richard and Harry, that incident on the train proved that. What was also surprising was the way that the other people in his house were interested, but didn't look surprised, it was as if it was predictable.

McGonagall, stood up, she seemed quite stern, wearing a severe exp ression. She had black hair, worn tightly in a bun. She was a figure which you couldn't help but respect.

"Welcome, welcome to another year at Hogwarts. Firstly, there are a few matters of which you all should be aware of, firstly, the Forbidden Forest remains out of bounds for all students. Again, no duelling in the corridors and do not trespass at night."

"On another note, I am happy to welcome new additions to the staff this year"  
"Firstly, Professor Damocles Belby, who will become our new Potions Master, we look forward to appreciate his expertise"

There was loud applause and loud whispers, clearly he seemed quite famous

"For our second new appointment," Minerva continued, as the applause for Damocles died away, "Professor Dawlish, our Defence of the Dark Arts Teacher, retired last year in order to join the expedition to Albania. However I am glad to say his place will be filled by Harry Potter, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his Auror work."

Everyone around the hall looked at each other, stunned. Then they all joined ito an applause, so tumultuous that it made the applause for Damocles seemed pale in comparison. Tom caught a glimpse of Potter, who wore a grin.

"Ha, I knew it!" shouted Richard.

"Well I think that's everything" said McGonagall, "let's start eating!"

The golden plates and goblets filled suddenly with food and drink. Tom felt ravenous and put food on his plate and began eating.

The feast was incredible, all you can hear was laughter, chatter and the clatter of knives and forks beating upon the golden plates. Tom felt worried about Jodie, and peered to her table, she was looking like she was having a boring time – he glimpsed Nathanial in his element, talking to Regina nearby, but always flicking his head back, to look at the one girl on Slytherin table who wasn't sure that she should be there.

At last, when the crumbs of the puddings evaporated from the plates. McGonagall indictated that it was time to go to bed.

They followed the Prefect, who introduced herself as Sarah MacDonald, and streamed up the marble staircase, Tom felt very tired, as they walked up more and more stairs which moved as they kept walking. They encountered a large portrait of a fat lady in a pink dress, "Password?"

"Listen carefully First Years" Sarah called to the crowd at the top of the stairs, "the current password's Horntail!"

Tom repeated the word 'horntail' in his head, he climbed through the portrait hole and into a large room, filled with comfy chairs around a roaring warm fire. Tom, Richard and Harry strolled through the welcoming Gryffindors to the side of the common room. They hurried up the staircase, right up to the top and reached their new dormitory, which had a sign saying "First Years." The first thing Tom noticed was that the room was circular and surrounded by high and narrow windows. Their trunks had been brought up, and placed at the ends of the five four-poster beds which were hung with velvet fabric.  
Richard gave a small laugh.  
"Just like my uncle had described"  
After a few minutes of opening their trunks, the dormitory door opened, their fellow new Gryffindor lads, Jack Quintus and Apollo Scamander walked in.  
"Cor - have you seen that Gryffindor girl downstairs? Fit as" said Quintus  
"First or Second Year?" asked Harry.  
"First" replied Apollo, smiling warily.  
Richard beamed, couldn't help feeling that this would be a good year.

Tom sat next to the window, looking into the clear night sky, very different to the orange haze of Light Pollution in London. He couldn't help but worry about Jodie Heartly, now Jodie Zabini.


	5. Defence Against The Dark Arts

Chapter 5 - Defence Against The Dark Arts

The next day, Tom still felt worried about Jodie and vowed to talk to her as soon as he saw her. The vow seemed to go wrong from Breakfast at The Great Hall. The four long tables were filled with dishes of bacon and dishes of eggs, different cooked, scrambled eggs, boiled eggs, fried eggs, big stacks of toast and knobs of butter, and cauldron-size bowls of porridge.

Tom sat down at the Gryffindor table next to Sally-Anne Cadogen, who was reading a copy of Witch Weekly which had just been delivered by a mail-owl. She was the one who the Gryffindor Boys were talking about in the dormitory, at that point Tom realised what impressed them, with her golden-silver hair, and a face which looked very elven-like. "Morning Tiger, you're up early." There was a slight over-familiarity which both un-nerved and confused Tom, he was never called a Tiger before. Tara Wood on the other hand, the other first-year Gryffindor Girl sitting next to Sally-Anne greeted Tom with a nervous, "morning."

"Post came a few minutes ago – I've only been sent a Witch Weekly, but there are piles of letters for the Richard and Harry guys."

Tom felt a bit downcast that he didn't get any post, it would have been helpful if his brother knew how to send post by Owl. He felt a tinge of homesickness.  
"Well," Tom replied, "they will be here any minute if they can be bothered to get their buts out of bed."

Tom had only finished his roast tomatoes and toast when, soon enough, Tom, Harry, and Apollo Scamander and Jack Quintus strolled in.

Great, post" said Montana picking up his pile of letters from the table and helped himself to some porridge.

Richard lazily flicked through his letters, one from his mum and one from his mum and even one from his uncle. He made them promise to send an owl each.

"Right, well I am going to go and talk to Jodie," said Tom, as he spotted Jodie walking in with Nathaniel and Regina to the long table at the far end.

"Easy there Tiger" said Richard pulling his hand up to drag Tom back down, "you wouldn't want to go to the Slytherin Table right now."

"Why not, Jodie's our friend" asked Tom indignantly, at this Sally-Anne scoffed.

"Well, yeah, she is, but she is a Slytherin so we have to approach her with a bit more tact."

Tom sat down and pushed his plate away. His mind buzzing and confused with the decorum and social rules that blitzed him. Jodie is a Slytherin, and they are supposed to be evil. But Jodie is their friend, after all she did sit with them on the train and going into Hogwarts, they even walked through Diagon Alley together.

Tom dwelled on this, but Harry and Richard were distracted by poking fun at Apollo Scamander's Quibbler Magazine with the headline exclaiming _SCRIMGEOUR'S VAMPIRE FAMILY – THE TRUTH REVEALED._

"Hey it isn't my fault, my Aunt Luna was insistent on giving me a subscription, and I didn't want to offend her!"

Professor Longbottom was moving across the Gryffindor Table, handing out the timetables. Tom took his, read it and saw that he had Herbology with Ravenclaw first.

"Cheer up Tom," Sally-Anne exclaimed, "we have Defence of the Dark Arts with the Slytherins this afternoon, you can talk to that Jodie girl then!" Tom felt instantly cheered up at this.

Tom, Richard, Harry, Tara and Sally-Anne left the castle, leaving Apollo and Jack behind, who were still eating their breakfast. They made for the greenhouse and waited outside for Professor Longbottom.

Longbottom was a tall man, wearing a sharp earthy suit, his face bore a few scars which were apparently from the Second War, stories flew last night at the dormitory of his bravery against Lord Voldemort, and how he killed a snake with Godric Gryffindor's Sword.

"Greenhouse One First Years, follow me" said Longbottom. A groan came from the line, as the plants in the other Green Houses looked more dangerous and interesting. Longbottom unlocked the door.

"Today First Years, we will discover the best ways of cultivating Cheering Pansies, the person with the most Cheerful Pansie will win their House 10 Points."

He pointed to a row of trays. There were thirty flowers growing in rows. Tom thought that they looked unremarkable to normal pansies. Professor Longbottom tapped with his finger a tall plant at the far side of the table. Adopting a Blue Peter sound-byte he said, "this is one I cultivated earlier." At once, the plant gave a large chuckle, along with Tom.

By the end of the class, Tom managed to make his plant give a tall titter, Richard's Plant said a small unremarkable "ha." Harry managed to make his plant do a scary laugh that reminded Tom of a Vincent Price movie. Tara won Gryffindor the points with her plant whose laugh was the best frequency and the longest.

After they washed their hands, they all hurried off to History of Magic. After the mild excitement of the last lesson, History of Magic was just boring. His professor, Professor Binns was drawling off old dates, not much went into his head. Harry and Richard on the other hand were on their desks sleeping.

The lunch bell rang, Tom and Harry were much brighter at the prospect of their next lesson, excited at the prospect of actually using their wands. Tara was beaming, and bragging endlessly to Apollo and Jack about winning her house 10 points.

"Sorry Tara, Apollo and I lost five points each for being late to Herbology."

Richard laughed, but Tara looked scandalised.

After finishing lunch, the Gryffindor First Years were looking forward to Harry Potter's first lesson, they strolled into the classroom. The only ones missing were the Slytherins, including Jodie who duly turned up just after the bell had rung, to Tom's frustration.

Richard, Harry, Jack, Apollo, Tara and Sally-Anne sat right in front of the desk and waited quietly. Tom however sat near the back near a few Gryffindor girls and as close to Jodie as possible.

Jodie and Tom spotted each other, she gave him a nervous grin.

Harry Potter entered the room, looking amused, they could see his lightning-bolt scar hidden underneath his fringe.

"Get your wands out," he said, sitting down on the chair. Richard grinned. He took out a register and began to call out names; he paused on Zabini, giving Jodie a hard gaze.

"Alright, welcome to Defence Against The Dark Arts, against the Dark Arts there can be no foolish potion stirring, immature incantations or silly wand flicking, the two important parts of defending yourself is to hold your nerves in a difficult situation. The second thing is - "Harry gave a pause for effect, the class were leaning in and were enamoured by his words, wanting to know what he will say, "the second thing is CONSTANT VIGILANCE" he barked and everyone jumped.

"A man once said to me that the dark arts is like a many headed serpent, you cut off one head and one will grow back in its place, learning, evolving and more dangerous. You must anticipate everything that comes at you, you have to pay attention."

At this, Harry Potter shouted, "Expelliarmus" at Nathanial at the back of the class, who was spinning his wand around his fingers lazily.  
At once the wand jumped off his hand and leapt into Harry Potter's open hand. "CONSTANT VIGILANCE" Harry again barked. Everyone was laughing. Tom grinned to himself, especially at seeing Nathaniel being humiliated.

"Enough."

The laughter stopped.

"Now, I am here to teach you elementary offensive and defensive spells, jinxes and incantations. I hope you all will progress fully this year."

Tom looked at Nathanial, Potter threw his wand back to him, his face looked angry.

"Now can anyone tell me what spell I have just demonstrated on Dolosus here?"

A few hands shot up, including Richard's and Sally-Anne's. Potter pointed at Richard.

"My uncle told me about that one, is it the expelliarmus disarming spell?"

"Spot on" beamed Harry, "our Uncle would definitely of known that one, he told me off for overusing it when we were hunting down some rogues. 5 points to Gryffindor"

Nathanial's anger subsided to a smirk, as his eyes darted to Jodie.

Professor Potter spent the next 30 minutes explaining the expelliarmus spell, the wand movement and the pronouncement, including several anecdotes of the times he had used it, especially that it was the spell he used to kill Voldemort, and survived.

After he finished talking, he got up and gestured his class to do the same. "Now get into pairs and practice"  
At once, Tom sided over to Jodie. Richard spotted Nathaniel walking over to Regina, and egging him on shouted, "Why don't you pick on a better target?" Taking the bait, Nathaniel paired with a smirking Richard. Tara and Sally-Anne paired with each other. Harry paired up with Regina, and Apollo and Jack were side by side as usual.

"Now remember, CONSTANT VIGILANCE!"  
As soon as Professor Potter stopped speaking, Nathanial cast the spell to Richard, who resorted to saving his wand with his fingertips.  
"Nice try Dolosus"

"So how are you?" Tom asked Jodie.

"Not bad, bit hard settling in, yourself?" Jodie replied, understatement of the year, she thought, remembering how her new housemates were scaving about her living with muggles.

"Surviving, you may think I am strange, but don't you think this place is a bit crazy?" Tom replied jokingly  
Jodie laughed, "ha you're telling me"

Whilst speaking they muttered a few spells to no effect. Until Jodie got it, and shouted "Expelliarmus" at once, Tom's wand dully flew out of his hands into her own.

"5 Points to Slytherin" shouted Professor Potter over the clamour.

Not wanting to be out done, Tom retorted, Jodie's black wand flew out of her hand into Tom's, and what was more the effect of the spell tripped her to the floor.

"More Impressive, 10 points to Gryffindor!"  
Jodie smiled, "nice one Tom"

He walked over and whilst giving her wand back, Jodie kicked her leg into action and tripped Tom to the floor.

"Ha, remember constant vigilance Tom!" she said winking, and then helped Tom up.  
Tom laughed appreciatively, "hey do you want to meet up this evening?"  
"Sure." Jodie replied, "when?"  
"5 o'clock? Entrance Hall?" he replied.  
"Wicked, I'll see you there"

Next to them, for the last five minutes Richard had effortlessly won Nathanial's wand every time, he seemed distracted.  
Harry lost his wand to Regina, when he was looking at the fiercely contested battle between Apollo and Jack Quintus, it was so closely fought that the lights emitting from their wands were colliding with each other, creating little sparks.

"That's enough today, well done Gryffindor and well done Slytherin" said Harry, who quickly packed up and walked out the door and then down the corridor.

Everyone soon packed up their things, as Tom was leaving with Richard and Harry he overheard Nathaniel talking to Jodie, "you aren't seriously going to meet up with Tom Selby are you?"  
"That," she replied darkly, "is none of your business."

Tom smiled as Richard punched him on the arm jovially, "nice one mate, even though she is a snake"

"Oi, she's our snake" Tom replied, grinning.

They went up to the dormitory to drop their books, bags and get washed and changed, Tom sat on his bed reading The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Tremble, to Richard's disgust.

At 5 minutes past 5, he walked down to the Entrance Hall to find Jodie already standing there waiting for him.

"Didn't think you'd show" Jodie said, looking tired, but pleased to see him. "Well I would have gone earlier, but Peeves was in the way, so I had to use a different way, how long were you waiting?" he replied warily

"Oh, only about a minute."

As they crossed the Entrance Hall, Tom saw Richard's Sister, Anna snogging a boy, he remembered Richard telling him that she was in Ravenclaw. They walked outside and into the grounds. There, Tom finally managed to ask the question which had been confusing him, "so what is it with being a Zabini then?"

"I don't really know much, all I know is that I was born and then I was in Foster Care" she lied.

"But surely, as you are magic your dad could have gone here -"

"Cut it Tommy, I don't want to talk about it"

"Sorry, didn't mean to pry"

Jodie looked away, they walked over near the Quidditch Ground, Richard and Harry were on the stands watching the Gryffindor team practice. Tom gave them a wave, which they returned grinning.

"That Richard Ashley, why are you friends with him?" gesturing them to Tom.

Tom was curious at the question, "he is alright" he said defending Richard, "why do you ask?"

"I am just saying Tom, that you could hang around with much better people," Jodie said cooly, but looked disappointed.

Tom felt quite insulted about how she treated the company he keeps, "I don't think so, the gryffindor crowd are good mates - Richard is a bit cocky and Harry a bit of a lippy sod sometimes but they are great. What makes your Slytherin Crowd so perfect?"

"Oh, I am not insinuating that, but I do think that Richard is a prick"

"Is it because he embarrassed Nathaniel at Defence Against the Dark Arts today?"

"Oh, no, Nathaniel didn't really _try_"

"So you say" Tom said with a grin.

The lake was clear when they first approached it, not a ripple in sight, nor did they see the Giant Squid inside. They sat on a bank and recounted the things in the muggle world that they would miss in Hogwarts. Tom mentioned Computer Games, television and his brother, Jodie on the other hand talked about going shopping and music from muggle artists, the Thrills, Hot Hot Heat and Hard-Fi which she couldn't listen to in Hogwarts because electronic appliances don\'t work. She mentioned that she wouldn't miss the care home, or people there in general.

After debating the best radiohead album, Tom arguing the case for OK Computer, Jodie countering his argument by championing Amnesiac, they returned to the Castle, just in time for supper. As they approached the Great Hall, they parted as Jodie met up with some girls in Slytherin House. Tom was moving to join Richard and Harry attacking the pork chops when he overheard Jodie.

"Jodie, you weren't hanging out with that Tom Selby were you?" said the girl with heavy make-up.  
"Pfft, you know better of me Regina, as if I would hang out with him"  
"Mudbloods are disgusting" Regina nodded savagely.

Tom felt his insides burn. He felt as if a spear went through his stomach, he turned around and looked at Jodie sitting, chatting and laughing with her Slytherin friends.  
"Hey Tom, pass the Apple Sauce!" Richard asked.

Tom didn't listen to him. His mind pondered on Jodie, why she doesn't like Richard, why she denied meeting up with him, and how easily she seemed to fit in with people who hate him and where she came from. He thought that the girl he first met at the Café was now a different person.


	6. Boggart and Blood

Chapter 6 - Boggart and Blood

Tom spent some time, over the next days in and out of his lessons, joking with Richard and Harry in the Common Room. He was angry with Jodie Zabini after her remark about him at Supper so he did his best to avoid her. Sally-Anne was very probing about the Jodie Zabini subject at Charms on Friday Morning, but the inquisition was distracted by Montana making the door lock they were supposed to be opening make a deafening explosion. When he did talk about it, it was when he asked Richard if he somehow did anything to Jodie. "No, not to my attention - she is probably trying to repel herself, as she secretly can't get enough of me," he replied grinning. So all in all, Tom was glad that he had finally reached the weekend without talking to Jodie, who could tell that he was ignoring her.

Tom was woken at the middle of the night by a beaming Harry and Richard,

"What is it?" he said wearily.

"Exploring, that's what" Richard replied grinning.

"Why?"

"Harry here expressed his wish to see more of the castle, he also needed to drop off his essay to Professor Potter before he notices he hasn't handed it in, and I thought 2 o'clock is the best time" said Richard, grinning.

"But it's 2 in the morning, and it's forbidden to be out after hours"

"Exactly" replied Harry looking bemused.

"Anyway we need you to be the third man, plus no one can open doors like you. I'm useless at that one, and the only way Harry could do that job is if we wanted to open Potter's door by blowing it to splinters" Richard said with a smile, "so can you handle it?"

Tom at first was unsure, but looking at Richard and Harry he thought, why not? He demonstrated proficiency in the charms class the other day and he thought that it would be good to have an adventure; it would take his mind off the Jodie situation. When he'd found his jeans and his t-shirt in his closet, he put them on and pulled on his jumper for warmth - he found Richard and Harry waiting by the fire in the common room. "We can't let Harry down." Tom said grinning.

Harry pushed the portrait door carefully, the corridors were empty and silent, they could see by the shining moonlight which spread across the corridors lighting it in a silver glow. Richard assured Tom that he knew Filch's walking habits after talking to a group of 7th Years who had done the same thing many times before. They still walked, with one person - usually the small lightly built Tom looking at every corridor corner as a look out. Gliding across the rooms like a Ninja operation. They crept up and down the narrow staircases - until they reached the third floor corridor leading to Professor Potter's Office.

Tom cast the door-unlocking charm _allohamora,_ the door didn't budge, expecting this, Tom drew out a hair clip and unlocked the door the muggle way, his brother had shown him how on a boring Sunday afternoon. Successful, the door crackled open. Harry walked over to Potter's desk and slid his essay on the Immobilising Spell, in between the other essays.

Richard slapped Tom on the back appreciatively, they closed the door behind them, out in the dark corridor Richard examined to check if the coast was clear, seeing as it was they walked up back the way they came, walking as quietly as possibly. A few portraits looked interested, but most were snoring and asleep. They crept through the corridor above, Richard scouted the corner, turned and whispered hurriedly "IT'S PEEVES!"

Shocked and cursing their luck they opened a nearby door and ran into it, closing the door quietly, and hoping Peeves didn't notice. After a few nervous minutes, they examined the room around them. It looked remarkably dusty, as if nobody had bothered going into it at all - in front there was a desk and an old blackboard, plainly this was an old disused classroom.

Feeling curious, Harry wondered around, and he felt a sudden compulsion to open a cupboard, just to see what was inside it, as soon as his hand gripped the handle the cupboard burst open, and out jumped an 8 ft high man in a colourful costume with big multi-coloured spots, the face was plastered with white powdered make up, the thing also sported a blue afro, he was a clown. The clown's eyes were hypnotically full of malice and intent and leered over Harry. Harry jumped out, terrified and stepped back as fast as he could.

The clown then paid his attention to Richard, the clown changed form to a beast which Tom had only ever seen in the illustrations of greek mythology books. the front body was that of a lion, the lion roared as it neared it's prey, huge dragon-like rings glided out of the side of it's body, the beast had the legs of a goat and it's tail was a fierce serpent Tom finally remembered what it was, a chimaera. Reeling it's jaws the chimaera leapt, Tom Richard and Harry quickly ran out of the door. The chimaera quickly followed them into the corridor - Richard was looking scared out of his living daylights.

The chimaera quickly adapted itself to Tom's secret fear, Freddy Kreugar a scaly red skinned man with clippers for hands, Tom remembered watching Nightmare On Elm Street as a kid, it dominated his nightmares for months afterwards. The Portraits woke up to a barmy sight of three out-of-bed first years being chased by an ugly disfigured man with clippers.

They ran and ran through the corridor and turning a corner bumped into a hooded man who growled "out of the way" with his wand out, Freddy Kreuger instantly turned into a dark hooded creature which floated impieriously. Tom, standing behind the man felt it reminded him of the Nasgul in the Lord of the Ring movies.

Tom. Harry and Richard felt all the happiness draining from them, the man in front, examining the creature, yelled "Riddikulus!" Instantly the boggart shrank and shrank to a minute size, and turned into a dancing leprechaun, dancing an Irish Jig which went faster and faster, until the leprechaun exploded.

The man turned around, saying, "you three shouldn't be wondering around the castle at the middle of the night, or going into my office" The man turned and put his hood down, revealing the bespecled man with the lightning-bolt scar, the legendary Professor Potter.  
"But I won't say anything, I don't want to be a hypocrite, that was a boggart you just saw and seeing it and a dementor form is probably punishment enough."  
"How did you know we were in your office?" Tom asked curiously.  
"Oh, three kids, talking - big give-away" he replied with a wink, he then drew out a cadbury's chocolate milk bar and gave it out to Richard, Tom and Harry. "Oh, big tip, chocolate is great after facing a dementor, or anything in general"  
They all mumbled thanks.  
Pleased, Professor Potter clapped his hands together and said, "now, go quietly back, and don't draw too much attention to yourselves." The three turned and when they were just about to turn a corner, Professor Potter called out, "oh and Harry you are still in trouble for handing in your essay late by the way!"

As they walked up and crawled into the opened Portrait Hole, and into their four-poster beds, Richard said, "a clown, Harry, can you seriously be any more cliche?" Harry slipped under his sheets, knowing that he would never live it down till he's dead.

Distorted rumours of what had happened the night before spread quickly through the Gryffindor Common Room and to an extent the other Houses as Tom woke up on the saturday morning to fierce sunlight blazing through the windows. Tom, Richard and Harry walked down to high applause from people in Gryffindor, asking them how and why if they really faced down a Boggart which turned into a Manticore and a Basilisk, Sarah McDonald looked annoyed at the undue attention at the three first-years who might have broken the rules. Tom indicated her to Harry and Richard, they all quickly passed through the rapturous applause and went off and left the tower to get some breakfast.

There was only a handful of people in the Great Hall, as many were taking the Saturday Morning opportunity for a lie-in. As Tom was helping himself to cereal he spotted Professor Potter at the top table giving him a knowing-wink. "Decent guy that Harry Potter isn't he?" Richard commented. "Pfft, well those glasses don't do him any favours, makes him look like a speccy bat, no idea how he is supposed to be a brilliant seeker if he had to to use glasses" Harry retorted,  
"Quick reactions?" Tom offered  
"Maybe." Harry Montana quickly replied.

Tom looked around, making sure that no one could hear them so he could ask a question which had bugged him after overhearing Jodie's conversation, "what does _mudblood_ mean?"  
On hearing the word mudblood Richard dropped his spoon, which gave a large clatter. "Has anyone called you a mudblood, Tom?" He said seriously. "If they did we'll hex them for you" Harry added angrily.  
"Not to my face, no just came up by a Slytherin group, I know it is an insult, but I don't know what it means."  
"The likely culprits" Harry retorted, ripping a bite out of his toast.  
"It is an insult," Richard added, "it is really insulting, mudblood is an awful name for someone who has non-magic parents, muggle-borns, some people, like the people who said it are the ones who think they are better because they say they are pure-blood, you know like Dollosus on the train."  
"Anyway" Harry continued, "we all know that it is complete bull, look at me, I am Pure-Blood apparently and my boggart's a clown and I can't charm anything without blowing it up" he said with an ironic smile.

Tom appreciated Harry and Richard's friendship, his mind wondered on what kind of people Jodie is hanging around with, and even calling friends. After finishing breakfast he told Harry and Richard that he was going out to visit Hagrid, but truthfully he just wanted to be alone.

As he walked through the grounds, he walked by the lawns and again noticed Richard's sister Anna sucking the life out of the other Ravenclaw's lips on a bench, he pondered telling Richard about this but he would probably grin and use it to annoy her. Nearing the lake he discovered that music was blaring out by a nearby tree. He turned around and saw Jackie humming away to a tune. Setting her eyes on him, they were alone.

"Hey Tiger-cub" she said indicating him to sit near her. Knowing that he couldn't just ignore her and run away he said, "oh hey Jodie" and sat uncomfortably by the tree, putting his back by the bark. "Yeah I know! Music!" she pointed to the Wizarding Wireless Box, "Glacie let me borrow it, although it doesn't play muggle music,"  
"Normal music" he corrected her, hearing something as bassy as a cello being played like a guitar solo.  
"Yeah," she laughed.  
"So how've you been?" he asked.  
"Not too bad, not too bad yourself?"  
"Yeah, I'm alright" he lied.  
They looked out at the lake, which wasn't still as it was days ago, it was rippling and looked wavy, in fact there were bubbles blowing out of the middle of it.  
"So" Tom started feeling brave enough to probe, "anything new on the Zabini front?"  
"Nope, nothing really" she lied.

"Ah well," Tom looked out of the lake, and jumped at the sight of a long tentacle rising out of the water, " woh, what the hell is that!"  
"That is the giant squid," Jodie said knowledgably, clapping her hands to her jeans to the beat of another song, "that thing has been in there as long as anybody, even Moaning Myrtle, could remember."

"Wierd, hey what are the guys around your house like?"  
"Oh, do you mean Nathan, Glacie and Regina?"  
"Yeah"  
"Oh they're not that bad"  
"Really?" Tom said with rising annoyance in his voice, "do you know they hate muggle-borns, call them mudbloods apparently?"  
"Oh, that" Jodie said boredly.  
"Yeah, that" he replied aggressively.  
"Didn't know it meant that much to you"  
"Well, obviously it does, and that remark about dinner you said about me"

Jodie's face had a look of sudden realisation, she hit her hand on her head and said in a comforting tone, "Look Tom, when you are in Slytherin, you have to act like a different person" she looked around to check that no one was near, "you know, to fit in - I am only in First Year, I have to hang out with them, I can hardly disagree with them and say that is bang out of order when everybody else says the same thing."  
"That sounds a bit of a cowardly thing to do," Tom said coldly.  
"Oh well we can't all be as brave as facing down a manticore or something in the middle of the night" she said chidingly  
Tom blushed furiously.  
"Look Tom, I have to bloody live with the Slytherins whether I like it or not, I am not in Gryffindor or have a cosy little home in the suburbs to fall back to."  
"I don't like it, I don't like it one bit Jodie"  
"I know, I don't like it either, well at least I have you eh Tommy"  
"You know I will always be there, to keep you grounded" he added, he glanced at the lake, he could see the shadow of the giant squid squirming around in the lake.

After that uncomfortably conversation, they talked about things in the muggle world, Tom discovered that Jodie wasn't really into football, Jodie discovered that Tom wasn't into politics. They enjoyed talking about things in the muggle world, as there wasn't really much opportunity in the groups they usually keep company with.

As Jodie moved her bag to get out the book she wanted to show to Tom, Dracula by Bram Stoker, when they were pondering whether this was a true account of a vampire, another book fell out of her bag too, Tom picked it up and read the title, "The Diary of Jodie Zabini" She snatched it back giving him a reproachful look, "no looking, she said warningly.

"Don't worry I won't, I think it is cool that you are making a diary" Tom replied, "I don't really have the usual time or diligence really."

Jodie smiled. They sat there talking the rest of the day, after the dinner bell rang they walked back up to the Great Hall castle, she parted to her Slytherin friends, whilst Tom walked to the Great Hall.

As he approached the Gryffindor Table in the Great Hall, he noticed that Richard and Harry were absent. Tara walked up to him tearfully, "Richard, there you are! Sally and I have been trying to find you for ages, something has happened to Harry!"  
"What is it, what happened?" Tom replied, looking fearful.  
Sally-Anne butted in, "oh nothing that serious, Richard was mucking around and dressed up as a clown to scare Harry for some reason, Harry ran down the stairs and tripped over a fake-step - he is in the Hospital Wing." She chuckled afterwards.  
"Don't laugh Sally! Harry could be seriously hurt!" Tara replied tearfully.

Tom turned back and walked off to the Hospital Wing, he walked over to Harry's bed, Harry looked a little bit in a sore and grumpy state, he had his bones quickly fixed by Madame Pomfrey, but was still in a little bit sore. Richard was by his bed, trying to look serious and grave in front of Tom, but gave up and just started chuckling, Richard's laugh was so infectious Tom couldn't help but laugh too.  
"It won't be as funny when it happens to you" Harry said grumpily.  
"What, getting chased by a clown?" Tom said jovially, making Richard chuckle as well.  
"Oh ha ha, very funny" Harry replied sarcastically.

"OUT OF THE WAY OUT OF THE WAY" screamed a familiar voice behind the doors, which instantly burst open fiercely, revealing the man whom Tom met at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, the man with blazing red hair, Ron Weasley who was carrying a young looking body of whom they could see blood on his robes, followed by a concerned Harry Potter and the Gryffindor Prefect Sarah McDonald

Ron dropped the body onto a nearby bed and stretched it out carefully, Madame Pomfrey quickly drew the curtains shut around the hospital bed, blocking him from Tom, Richard and Harry's view.  
"Who is it?" they heard Ron ask.  
"It's Jimmy Wilson, he is a sixth year Slytherin" Harry replied  
"Bloody hell Harry, a Slytherin?"  
"I know, what happened Ron?"  
"Aberforth found him stabbed outside the Hogs Head Inn, I was in Hogsmeade at the time and he collared me, he said it might have been a Rogue Death Eater, Miss McDonald and I were there immediately, and we carried him up to the castle, no doubt he or she would have apparated away,"

Tom, Richard and Harry heard a comforting yet unpleasant scream of pain as they heard the knife being removed from Jimmy Wilson's body.  
"Bloody hell Harry, this is unusual" Ron said as he was examining the knife, "the knife, it has a name on it."  
"What's the name Ron?"  
"Oh, no doubt we all know that name", Ron said with a dark laugh, "it says Zabini"

No one looked as shocked as Tom, but Richard and Harry looked surprised too, unlike the grim Gryffindor Prefect Sarah McDonald as she ushered them out of the Hospital Wing.


	7. As Dead As Leaves

Chapter 7 - As Dead as Leaves

"I can't believe it," Richard said, in a surprised voice to Tom,Sally-Anne, Tara and Jack as they sat around him, as he narrated what had happened in the Hospital Wing. The news of Jimmy Wilson's stabbing had reached Gryffindor ears faster than Tom and Richard's ushering to the Tower from the hospital wing "Zabini, Jodie Zabini, her surname was on that knife."

"I don't believe it, she couldn't have done it" Tom muttered darkly.

"We don't need another reminder of your friendship Tom, but it does look a bit conclusive doesn't it?" Sally-Anne scoffed looking at Tom condescendingly, "she is a Slithering, and you know they say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

Tara quickly butted in, "no I agree with Tom, she can't have done it, First Year's aren't allowed in Hogsmeade, plus Jimmy is a sixth year, and a slytherin, I can't imagine a first year over powering him."  
"And I was with her that afternoon" Tom muttered afterwards, but gave Tara a grateful look. He left his seat and drew out a rod to hit the embers of the fire, the sparks flew, and he reached down and placed another log on it.

"Woh, new news on the grape-vine guys" Apollo said, strolling to the gang, taking Tom's seat, to Tom's much annoyance. "Jodie has been taken to the Head's office, "ooh someone is off to be expelled."

Tom ran past the group, he dived through the portrait hole and down the corridor, his head spun, although he felt certain that they wouldn't expel Jodie, but after Apollo's and Sally-Anne's remarks he didn't want to take that chance. He wasn't too sure where he was going, but Richard did gesture its whereabouts when they were wondering around last night. In a few minutes he reached a huge stone gargoyle.

"Is this McGonagall's Office?"  
"Who wants to know" the Gargoyle muttered in a lazy tone.  
"I do, now let me through!"

"Mars Bar" a voice muttered behind him, Tom turned around and it was Harry Potter.

At once the Gargoyle moved to one side, the wall behind it split in two to reveal a stone staircase that moved continually upwards. Harry and Tom stepped onto the moving stairs, the wall closing behind them; they moved upwards and approached a polished-oak door. Tom recognised Neville's voice sounding oddly dark,

"- I wish you had learned this from us, rather than your peers."

Harry hit the door knocker, and the voices stopped, the door opened instantly and Harry led Tom into the office. Tom felt impressed by the circular room, with the many portraits hanging around, above the shelves of books and several funny magical instruments. He felt that he room was designed to intimidate and intrigue the visiting student. Jodie was sitting opposite Professor McGonagall; Longbottom was standing, perched, by the window. Tom noticed the ginger-headed man, Ron Weasley sitting quietly in the corner.

"Professor McGonagall, Jodie didn't do it, she was with me when it happened" Tom said instantly to the Headmistress sitting sternly in the high chair the opposite side of the table, her fingers interlocked, reinforcing her reflective look. Lying on the desk, between Jodie and the Head Mistress was the knife, now clean of the blood but the word "Zabini" onthe hilt remained etched, almost accusingly  
"Do not worry, Selby, we do not believe that Jodie Zabini did anything to Wilson."  
"Is he alright?"  
"Fortunately yes, luckily he was stabbed on the side, if it was a few inches off it would have been catastrophic, now he has been sent to St Mungo's to recover."  
"Lucky, Headmistress?" Ron Weasley interrupted, "in our line of work that kind of fortune is very curious indeed."  
"What, are you suggesting that they didn't want to kill him? Just send a message?"  
"Exactly," added Ron, "I guess the whole truth might come out when the lad will recover"

Longbottom got up, and began walking up and down beside the window. His curled hand lifted to the lips below his furrowed eyes, making an impression of nervousness. Professor McGonagall's face was filled with strict intensity.  
"I don't think we need trouble Selby and Zabini any longer," said Potter's strong voice behind them.  
"Yes, you two can make your way to your common rooms" said Neville, as though finally realising that they were there, listening, he quickly ushered them out of their seats and through, out the office, out the door and pointed them down the staircase.

"So are you going to tell me about this whole Zabini thing?" said Tom as they were walking though the corridors.  
"Oh does it matter Thomas?" retorted Jodie, quickly making her turn to the Slytherin Corner leaving, Thomas alone to make his own path.

As the Office door had shut, leaving Longbottom, Potter, Weasley and McGonagall alone huddled around what was once Professor Dumbledore's desk, in the office together. From the corner, the unusually quiet Ron Weasley said softly, "those two seem very interesting."

"Interesting?" questioned McGonagall wily, "well that is certainly an understatement."

*

In no time at all, the stabbing of Jimmy Wilson had became most people's favourite topic of discussion. Some Gryffindor's, especially the ardent Quidditch Fanatics were even seeing it in a good light in terms of the upcoming Slytherin games. What drew most people in however was the confusion of a Slytherin being stabbed by the knife with the title of the name of a prominent old Slytherin family.  
Over the upcoming weeks the topic was discussed in many classes, especially in the boring History of Magic Classes, and well through into late October.  
"Look watch out," Harry Montana would say loudly at the start of every Defence against the Dark Arts Lesson, as Jodie walking in, "Zabber Stabber is about."

But it didn't seem like Jodie cared about it, Tom thought that every time he saw her she was looking even more exhausted, over the weeks every time she met up with Tom their conversations became increasingly shorter, and with her she seemed increasingly angrier. He still insisted on pairing up with her, and after every Defence of the Dark Arts Lesson they seemed to gain a reputation around the year, and even the years above, of having the fiercest duels in Hogwarts, a feat for first years.

Even the normally dull, Petrificus Totalus Spell - as it usually ends quickly with the dullness of another person stopping, became exciting mainly as they were wreathing aboutand dodging the hexes they throw at each other, as if they were ninjas battling each other hysterically. Potter was sure to award them House Points, and was sure to tell Neville and his wife and other friends about them. What they didn't know was that Tom kept arranging duelling lessons with her in a secret area by the lake, mainly as an excuse to try and meet up with her.

Although that played very well to Richard and Harry's bemusement, and also Tara's disapproval as Thomas kept strolling in routinely every Sunday afternoon looking bruised and bloody, but still having a lopsided grin. "When, are you going to tell us about your little fight club?" Richard kept asking.  
"Ah, first rule of fight club Richard, you do not talk about fight club."

Richard, Tom and Harry also gained a bit of a reputation on their pranking, starting to be regarded as the next on the long line of trios rampaging against Hogwarts, especially by Filch, who, although was getting on in his days informed them all of that illustrious long line of the "scoundrels" and "disorderly vagabonds" he fought his wars with, pointing to the filling cupboard of the worst offenders in his office. They were dragged there after Filch caught them slipping self-timing fireworks into Nathaniel's Leather Man-Bag.  
"Ha wow, look he almost has a filing cabinet on those guys" said Richard looking at the names of "James Potter, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew."  
"Not to mention those Fred and George blokes" added Tom looking at an even bigger cabinet.  
"The Prewett Brothers seem to have a bit of a reputation as well" added Harry, looking at an older reasonable sized drawer, "hey do you think we will be immortalised on these?"  
"Harry, lad" said Richard confidently, "we will have a whole room full of cabinets with our names on."

Tom didn't really care a lot about his other classes with all the distractions of being friends with Richard and Harry, and of course Jodie, although it is not as if they didn't interest him, they did, but his attentions were always on something else. He noticed he was alright at Charms, but nothing in comparison with Richard who was simply phenomenal in it. He was so adept at the alohamora spell that he could open a safe, let alone a padlock and levitate big weights.

Harry was exceptional at Potions, which was a subject both Tom and Richard detested, with all the fire and the potion brewing just to create a potion that would get rid of hiccups. The only subjects Tom enjoyed were Defence against the Dark Arts (although everyone did) and Transfiguration, a subject the Headmistress McGonagall taught, as she didn't feel any of her possible replacements were up to the task.

By October however, Tom was excited by the prospect of something else, encouraged especially by Richard and Harry, the Quidditch Season was about to start. Richard and Harry taught him the rules of the game off by heart. Harry said he was probably a beater, Richard said either a chaser or a seeker, Tom said, by the sounds of it he wouldn't mind being a chaser either. Harry and Richard tried and were disappointed that First Years weren't allowed on the team, and swore that they would apply and get in next year.

Tom returned back to the Common Room one evening with Tom and Harry, after managing to transfigure the door knobs on the way to the Slytherin Common Room to bark at whoether comes their way, they also managed to plant some stink bombs in Glacie Braithwaites handbag after she laughed at Sally-Anne. They managed to do all this as most of the school were away at Hogsmeade.

When they returned, they noticed everyone else returned too and were laughing heavily; they made their way to the seats by the fire which Quintus and Apollo managed to save. Richard muttered, "excellent" as he made his way to a 6th year who replenished his Zonko's Supply of stinkpellets. The 6th Year, who introduced himself to the group as Patrick Banners sat down with them, and with his girlfriend Michelle Long. He was, apparently the captain of the Quidditch Team who played Keeper.

Tom really liked Patrick, especially as he had so many stories, especially ones about Quidditch, "Oh yeah, Gryffindor are running on a massive winning streak at the moment, Hogwarts hasn't seen anything like it. Makes it even more of a pressured year for us though, especially as Harry Potter is around to see it. Ha, I remember when Dennis Creevey, a head-boy yonks-ago kept on giving us a blow-by-blow account of all his games when he was here."  
"Was he good?" Tom asked.  
"Good?" Patrick said coyly, "Phenomenal, although it was an amazing team to be fair with that Ginny Potter on the pitch, course everyone knows what she is doing now, Holyhead Harpies are chasing their third title in a row I believe?"  
"4th" Sally promptly interrupted.

"Ha you're another one; I saw a whole coven of witch's huddled around the Wireless in the Hogs Head earlier, listening to the commentary." Patrick said with another heavy laugh,  
"What was it like?" Tom asked.  
"The Harpies, oh they amassed so many points that the Chudley's couldn't catch up even if by some miracle Wadpole did catch the snitch, it ended around 345-70"  
"No, I meant the Hogs Head."  
"Oh that, yeah scummy atmosphere as always, good thing the prices are low, me and the lads followed a few of the Slytherins in there as I thought they were discussing quidditch tactics."  
"And were they?" Tom keenly asked.

"Nope, although they were doing something suspicious huddling around with some weird hooded person or other, bet that was how Wilson got stabbed, got involved in something stupid or something. I wonder when Wilson will come back, hopefully not before their game although I am not sure if it would make any difference; they can't get any worse right? Even Ravenclaw were giving them a run for their money last year""

Richard and Harry laughed their heads off, although Tom felt more concerned about what the Slytherins were doing, and if it was anything related with Jimmy Wilson. Tom, Quintus and Apollo went up to the dorms and stayed up till about half-11 playing exploding snap, after they were getting bored with the animated discussion between Patrick, Richard and Harry about Quidditch History. Tom had no idea what they were saying, and Apollo and Quintus didn't really care much about Quidditch anyway.

Tom loved the intensity of the Exploding Snap game and felt he was getting really good at it. "Pfft just luck" exclaimed an increasingly annoyed Quintus as he lost his deck of cards to Richard and Apollo for the 6th time in a row. They played it so much that Tom felt his fingers were red raw due to the burn marks. The game playing though was only secondary to their discussion, Tom liked Quintus and Apollo, Apollo seemed fascinated and amazed by Tom's stories, badgering him about the Chimaera and also the muggle animals he sees at the zoos. It was evident that Apollo really liked animals, which was obvious as he was from an animal loving family.

They talked a lot about the Halloween tomorrow and of course the Halloween feast which Tom really looked forward to. Quintus teased Tom about Jodie, of which Tom vehemently defended that they were, "just friends." At the stroke of midnight they heard Harry and Richard scrambling up the longest spiral stair up to their dormitory.

"You'll never guess what we just heard," said Richard, looking very shocked.  
"What, what is it?" said Quintus, "tell us!"  
"The Dungeons, some bastards have, they have murdered a house-elf."

"No way" said Apollo who looked absolutely livid, "if I get to those pricks."  
Everyone in the room's jaw was hanging, looking shocked and angry, even Tom's although he still had no idea what a House-Elf was.


	8. The Gloaming

Chapter 8 - The Gloaming

The expressions across the Great Hall the following morning were filled with disgust and paranoia, everyone had amassed unusually early for breakfast, looking red-eyed, possible because they, like others had been talking about the death of the house-elf. The attentions of the disgust were, at usual, the Slytherin Table who seemed relaxed as always. Tom spotted a few faces which were, indeed, gleeful.

Apollo Scamander was still, the most livid looking of the group due to his strong affinity with creatures. "How could they have done this, to that poor creature? He probably couldn't even defend himself, not even out of order, that was cruel." Tara, who was sitting across him kept nodding in agreement, "I hope they catch them and expel them" "Expel them?" Apollo said darkly, "I hope whatever is left of their soul get's sucked out."

Harry and Richard seemed shocked at hearing how strong Apollo felt, but just as angry as the rest of them, Tom felt a little angry too but a bit worried too, he didn't know that there were House-Elves at Hogwarts or that there were elves. But he hated killing and hated the people who did the killing too, it seemed  
darkly repulsive. At once, the whole room turned quiet as everyone's attention became directed to the Top Table, where the Teachers all filled into their seats, their stern faces looking just as concerned as the students. The last of the teachers to fill the tables were Hagrid and Professor McGonagall, who accompanied with them a tall, stern looking witch with thick bushy hair,

The Witch marched in front of the Top Table and before all the Students on the Four Tables. "Students, do you know who I am?" she shouted rhetorically, as however, they all knew who she was through her involvement in the last war. "I am Hermione Granger. Head of the Department for Magical Creatures!" A stern hush reached out across the Hall, they all individually felt as if they were in trouble, even most of the people who knew they did nothing wrong.

"As you have all heard, Toffee, the House-Elf has been found brutally murdered in Dungeon 3. I, The Ministry and The Staff, and undoubtedly most of you are disgusted by this evil crime, and we avenge that Toffee's Murder will not go unpunished. This week, your teachers, helped by my Ministry Colleagues will be conducting a thorough and deep interrogation to each and every one of you till we discover who is involved. Also as your Headmistress has suggested, all Halloween Celebrations are called off."  
At this, a huge howl of disappointment spread at the Slytherin table, the rest of the people sat stonily. Apollo nodded approvingly. Hermione continued, "This is in mark of respect for Toffee, and also a reminder that wrong-doing doesn't go unpunished at Hogwarts."

At this, Hermione, with Harry Potter walked off out of the Great Hall. And the chatter resumed.

"Well that pretty much confirms it, must have been the Slytherins," said Sally-Ann angrily as she ripped a bit off her toast. "Just because they are Slytherins doesn't mean they are all evil," Tom docily interceded automatically. "Pfft, well you have no idea of the war then, hundreds of creatures like House-Elves were killed by Death Eaters, and what house were Death Eaters in at Hogwarts? Oh yes, Slytherin" Sally-Ann added, "and well you know what they were all like earlier, smug bastards, loved seeing their smile wiped off  
their faces as they won't be having a feast." "Must have been a bit of a hassle telling the House-Elves they won't be doing the feast" Apollo said, "they bloody thrive off doing work don't they, can't live without it, in their nature innit. But I suppose it may have been knocked off when they discovered what happened to Toffee."

Tom left the table as soon as he saw Jodie leave from the table as well, he sided across through the tables and chairs to the giant exit door and waited a few seconds there for her to catch up.  
"Feeling up to it this afternoon?" Tom said, he was looking forward to another of their duel dates. "As ever, Selby" she said softly, "at the usual spot, 4 good for you?" Tom nodded. "Well Selby, I'll see you there," She  
turned to the stairs going down, leaving Tom to retrace his steps back and found Richard and Harry again.

They made their way towards the Quidditch Pitch and into one of the stands, watching the Gryffindor Quidditch Team practice, being directed by Patrick Banners on the Hoops. Roaring, "Let them at me" as the Gryffindor Chasers were edging it to the Posts. Tom watched football frequently with his brother,  
but this was so much more exciting. Especially as they were flying. Richard, having got over the bitterness of not being in the team watched them avidly, with his brains taking notes to improve his Quidditch Performance. Harry however was just shouting out cheering slogans like "Go go Gryffindor" or just "do them in" and also some other ruder ones about the Slytherin Captain. After an hour into the training session they eyed a group of Slytherins across suspiciously, but weirdly it was as if they were not interested in the game, they were interested in Harry, Richard and Tom. "Oooh, bet they love your chants Harry" Richard said smirking, rubbing his hands together at the approaching Autumn Cold.

At around half 3 he noticed that it was getting close to meeting up with Jodie by the Lake again, he hoped that he would best her this time, he had been practising his stinging hexes on pillows the days before. He soon parted with Richard and Harry and made his own way to the spot by the lake under the woods. By now most of the leaves were falling off, and they were surrounded by a vast array of dead leaves, in the colours of red gold and brown. He spotted Jodie, standing casually by a tree, tapping her wand against her hand expectantly. "Would you like some more pain Selby?"

"You bet, NETTLUX" he shot with the stinging hex hitting Jodie's hand.  
"Ow, that bloody hurt Selby! Expelliarmus!"  
Tom immediately anticipated that move and dodged it, the spell hit the nearby tree, he shot another expelliarmus, she dodged it too.

They duelled for over an hour, subsequently Tom received a tear on his jeans, and a few cuts on his arm, he was petrified a couple of times, even stunned he couldn't believe that she could do that, but he managed to fight way his way back up. He managed to sting Jodie a couple of times until she simply had to stop until the hexes faded. They took a breather, and noticed the pretty way the sun went down across the lake which appeared to have an ambient glow. "Twilight" she muttered. "Oh don't tell me you like that stupid  
movie!" he retorted then suddenly realising she meant something else, the period between light and dark, between the sun and the moon, the dusk, the twilight, the gloaming.

Tom heard a rustle of leaves, then there was a silence. Tom quickly looked round over his shoulder, Jodie did too, they didn't see anyone. It sounded as if there was something moving behind them. They waited, listened, but the sounds were at a halt. "Anyone there?" called Tom There was silence, it was getting too dark to see far, but it was as if he was sensing someone waiting, biding their time. "Who's there?" called Jodie. And then without waning a voice muttered darkly behind the trees, full of purpose.

"Grab her"

Then something red shot out of the creeping shade and darkness of the trees and bushes, Tom moved quickly and clumsily dived, and felt it hit his legs, it was as if his legs were hit by hammers. He realised and recognised the faces of the crowd of Slytherins who were looking at him in the Quidditch Game, he saw them drag Jodie and ran off with her. The Paralysis in his legs worn off in seconds, and he quickly ran through the trees by the lake, dodging them to remain out of eyeshot but for them to remain visible. They ran off up the hill, moving on, and helped by the increasing darkness which made him feel as if he was running undetected. He was sure that they were the people who killed the house-elf and stabbed Jimmy. They ran into the Entrance Hall, he followed too; they turned around and spotted Tom running after them, they looked fearful, but ran up the grand staircase it was as if they wanted to get to their destination quickly.

He came across Richard and Harry, "hey we just saw Jodie with a group of Slytherins she looked way out of it,"

"Follow me" he roared and ran up the staircase, with Richard and Harry in toe, they ran up to the twelth floor chasing the Slytherins vehemently. "Ha, they are heading towards a dead-end, we'll get them now" he roared as the figures were getting bigger and bigger until they turned right to a door opposite a statue of Barnabas. They ran towards the door but suddenly it instantly disappeared in front of their eyes and Tom was left banging the blank wall in front of him.

*

Tom sat down in front of Harry Potter's desk, he felt calmer knowing he would tell Harry Potter everything, after all Harry Potter has been through it all before hasn't he? He would be the only one who can help. Tom looked at the pictures on the desk, photos of a pretty ginger woman, four children and anther one of a kid who keeps on changing his appearance, from blue hair to red hair, blue eyes to purple eyes it was quite startling. He noticed that there was a shade of silvery light coming from the corner, he looked for the  
source and saw, lying there was a shallow stone basin, with odd carved symbols around the edge, light was coming from inside it. He was tempted to look inside it for a closer look but that idea stopped as soon as Professor Potter walked into the room.

"Ah Mr Selby, I presume you want to tell me something?"

"Yes Professor -" Tom narrated the events of the night so far, from the Slytherins at the Quidditch Pitch to them attacking by the lake and taking Jodie with them, when he told him about the door which disappeared in front of him, he swore he could see a glimmer of enlightenment in his eyes. He heard  
Professor Potter mutter, "Ah, so that is where the room of requirement disappeared off to"

"Okay Selby, so where are your friends, Montana and Ashly?"

"Out looking for you, so what are you going to do Professor?"

Harry paused for a while, taking a deep breath and, not looking at Tom too directly, but looking at the ceiling of the room, his gaze also wandered to the Pensieve on the corner, what was once Dumbledore's. He wondered what Dumbledore would do, or say at the situation he was in now, he knew Ron definately would do something different, but he was in a different place than he was when he was  
younger, Harry didn't have Dumbledore now to do all the thinking and the plotting for him. He gave a heavy sigh and with his look on Tom at last said, "Nothing,"

Tom's gut felt as if it had landed a body blow from Amir Khan himself, the thoughts in his head swirled round and confused at what Harry now said. "Jodie has been kidnapped, and all you suggest is that you do ...  
nothing?"

"My apologies Tom, but your story does not seem believable," Harry Potter said, looking directly at Tom, "you do not have any proof, you say you were attacked, but no one had saw you, and when Jodie was taken away, it merely looks like a group of slytherins running back into their common rooms, also your story about a disappearing door sounds simply implausible, not many people have heard of a disappearing door at Hogwarts. The only people who would testify against them are you, and you alone, Richard and Harry I am afraid are simply just your friends. At the moment it is your word against what sounds like a group of seven years. And why a group of seventh years have anything to do with a First Year? I am afraid I can't do anything."

Tom felt anger in his insides, blazing at Professor Potter with complete disbelief, "ARE YOU MAD?" he roared, "JODIE MIGHT BE KILLED LIKE THAT HOUSE-ELF TONIGHT, AND ALL YOU SAY IS THAT YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING BECAUSE OF MERE EVIDENCE, THIS IS NOT A COURT ROOM PROFESSOR!"

Harry stood up, "don't you dare say that I do not understand the responsibility of the safety of the students, all I can see is that there is no evidence to the contrary, Jodie has probably retired to her bed tonight."  
Harry Potter hated the words he was saying, but he felt that he had to say them.

Tom realised he went too far with questioning Harry Potter's sanity, but his head boiled in rage about it, finally he made his way to the door and said, "well if you are not going to anything more about it, then I will!" He stepped out of the room and slammed Professor Potter's door behind him and  
walked out.

Harry Potter felt impressed by Tom's attitude as he walked out, thinking how that is what he used to be like when he was his age, remembering back at the time of wrongly investigating Severus Snape. It had to be done, it had to be done, he thought, he needed to teach Tom that important lesson of Defence Against The Dark Arts, don't trust anyone but yourself and your friends in battles such as these. Harry felt bad about lying to Tom, he was going to do something, and he reached for his quill and parchment and started writing, and planning, giving another look at Dumbledore's Pensieve.

As Tom was heading back to the Gryffindor Common Room, he met Richard and Harry and told them about his meeting with Professor Potter. As they were walking up, they spotted as they looked down to the other end of the corridor on the 6th floor, opposite the tapestry of Barnabas, the group of Slytherins surrounding Jodie, who was now walking, surrounding her like a guard of honour, he noticed  
that she looked pale and different from the girl who he was with only a few hours before. It was then that Tom realised, he had no proof, he couldn't do anything.


	9. The Room of Requirement

Chapter 9 - The Room of Requirement

"Harry Potter is a prick," said Harry, late in the evening in the Gryffindor Common Room, it did not feel like it was Halloween Night at all, everywhere Tom had looked there were faces of annoyance and anger as the feast had been called off. Tom, Richard, Harry were slumped by the fire feeling pretty exhausted after running around, the rest though looked bored and energetic.

Tom leant his head onto the side of the chair, a mixture between sleepiness and being wide awake at the same time, he was simmering, absolutely simmering about his encounter with Professor Potter, and vowed that he would get to whatever the bottom of what happened to Jodie. They kept badgering him about his infatuation with Jodie, but honestly, he felt that he had every right as she was the first magical person he had ever met, back only a few months ago in a cafe in London.

He remembered Professor Potter's odd comment when he told him about the disappearing door on the twelfth floor opposite the Barnabas Statue. "Oh yeah, have any of you guys heard of the Room Of Requirement?" Harry gave a shrug, but Richard sat up straight wide and alert from his tired stupor as soon as he heard the last three words. "Room of Requirement?" he repeated, at first with disbelief but as soon as Tom nodded, a wide Cheshire-cat grin spread on his face.

"Ha, sure I have heard the Room of Requirement, my dad told me all about it," Harry gave him a jealous look, Richard continued, "he went through it as soon as the Battle of Hogwarts started to kick off, apparently the room changes to what people need, so if you need the toilet, a toilet would pop up, apparently it got burned down, and most people thought it was destroyed and forgot about it, but it looks like it only managed to moved itself."

"So, what if you need to leave Hogwarts?" said Tom, starting to put two and two together.

"Oh, it goes to the Hogs Head apparently, although it could have -"

"That's it!" exclaimed Tom, making Harry jump out of his seat, "that must be what they were doing the other day, in the Hogs Head – like what Banners was telling us, they were plotting, and I bet that was why Toffee was tortured, so they could get the information on where it is, and House Elves would know, Apollo was only telling me last night that they cleaned all the rooms of Hogwarts. It all fits!"

"Yeah, but why would they do that to her?" Richard said "There was a horde of gold in her Gringotts Vault" "Yeah, well those Slytherins are well off anyway, and I don't see how doing that would do anything."

"Her surname is Zabini," Harry added from the corner, "I know that is an old Slytherin Family name, although I don't really know much about it, perhaps they wanted her because of her connections." Richard nodded, "I bet my uncle would know, he came across loads of those types, he will probably know Zabini."

"I kinda presumed she was just one of those long-lost relations, grandchild of a squib perhaps, seeing as she did grow up in a muggle home" Tom said, "I am not sure she does have any connections but it is a good shout on chasing up that front though, she is keeping something from me, knew that much when I was in McGonagall's Office with her, overheard Longbottom say something weird about it."

"You're probably right" Richard said, "we better tell somebody, Professor Potter?"

Tom rolled his eyes when he heard this, after tonight's events Harry Potter is probably the least helpful person for them right now, his eyes flickered out into the roaring fire, wondering if it needed another log. He said coldly to Richard and Harry, "screw Harry Potter, I don't care if he beat Dracula let alone that Voldemort guy, whatever is happening at the moment right now, we have to do ourselves."

Harry nodded at Tom's words, he reached for the pile of logs by his legs and placed it on the embers of the fire, the embers accepted it and the log flared up. He turned to Richard and Harry with his cheeky smile and said, "well at least something good happened today."

Tom raised an eyebrow, Harry continued, "tonight lads we have found a room that could change into anything we want, even a recording studio, I propose we have a closer look, and no time is better than the present." He looked around the room, a lot of people had started to return back to their dormitories.

"Well, we need to get started on that filing cabinet in Filch's Office don't we?" Richard said with a grin, remembering back when they were in Filch's Office, he checked his wallet and sure enough his stink pellets and pranking equipment were still there, as well as a few sickles to boot. Tom felt enthusiastic for the expedition mainly because he wanted to find out what Jodie was up to and what made her tick, "course Richard, that filing cabinet won't fill itself, and Hogwarts definitely does look better at night, no Chimaeras this time though."

Tom sprinted up to the dormitory to change his clothes, putting on his black clothes and chucking his dirty jeans and shirt, even though he was so quick, Richard and Harry were waiting in the common room, ready to leave, simply wearing a raised eyebrow. "Oh in your own time, Tom" Harry said sarcastically.  
They silently passed through the portrait hole, moving slowly and cautiously proceeding down a few staircases and passing many corridors, pausing at intervals and having a near-miss with a strolling cat. They were lucky in not bumping into Nearly Headless Nick who thankfully drifted blissfully through the wall into the other room.  
As this was his second night out, he wasn't as tense and started to admire the surroundings, the moving portraits of people sleeping, except the intoxicated monks. Eventually they managed to reach the twelfth corridor. Tom touched the bust of Barnabas and looked at the blank wall wondering if it was the right one or not, or if it was another dead end.

"Apparently, you have to really think about what you want, " Richard said quietly, "and you have to walk up and down a bit, so what do we want?"  
"Oh definitely a games room, with a pool table" whispered Harry as they walked up and down the corridor. "Actually how about a room where we will be undetected and unheard so we can talk as loud as we want" said Tom creeping up and down, adding his own and Harry's wishes in his head,  
"good calls there lads, and we have to have a fireplace there as well, give it some atmosphere, " Richard said, as they were walking up and down their collective imagination adding their wishes together. They walked up and down the corridor a few times, even Harry was getting disheartened until he blinked his eyes and saw a door.

The door looked like it was any door, wooden and brown with a black hinge, it would have been completely unremarkable to the other doors if it wasn't for the fact that they knew that what was before was a blank wall being stared at by Barnaba's unmoving eyes. "Wow, " Tom whispered, "just like Lord of the Rings" thinking back to when Gandalf opened up the doors of the Mines of Moria. "Lord of the what?" Harry answered back, feeling confused. "Oh never mind that," Richard said idly, as he put his hands on the door handles and gently pushed, "let's have a look at what is inside."

Richard led the way into a cosy spacious room, lit with a roaring fire which was surrounded by three very cosy plush armchairs, so cosy you would be able to sink into them beside the armchairs there were a stack of books to read and a few games, such as a chess set and a deck of cards. In the middle of the room, just as they imagined, there was a pool table with the balls already polished and set in the correct positions.

"Bloody hell these books are fantastic, not just the typical wizard books but some of the non-magical classics as well" said Tom as he flicked through the books whilst sitting on the chair, "Lord of the Rings, Grapes of Wrath, Mockingbird, Dracula." Tom felt like he was at home, but regretted that he couldn't access the internet or mobiles, "shame this place doesn't allow electronic equipment eh."

"Whatever Selby, this game is on" said Richard as he held the cue, waiting for Harry who was acutely judging the breaking shot. "I play the winner" Tom said suddenly watching the game between Richard and Harry."How do you guys know pool anyway, pretty much a muggle sport right?"Tom asked. At this Richard shrugged his shoulders, "must have seeped through into our world I guess" he said, after potting a ball.

They continued the rest of the night, talking and playing pool, Tom was definately the best, they all agreed silly rules like if you lost the game you would have to walk around the pool table with your trousers down or something crazy. They took it into good stride, mocking Harry's pair of pink boxers."Man, this is such a great place, we should go here every night" Harry said while watching Tom having to crawl around the pool table after mistakenly potting a black.

"Well, not every night" Richard said sensibly, "but I don't think we should tell anyone, keep it secret otherwise everybody will be using it, plus if any of the teachers get wind of it, they might shut it down."Harry nodded, "we should swear on it."  
Tom laughed as he stood up, "ha swearing an oath, we would be like a group like the stone-masons."  
"Great idea there Tom" Richard said, "we could be like a group, what should our name be?"  
Harry laughed, "I don't know, the bandanas, the debaucherers ..." "How about The Brotherhood?" suggested Tom, really liking the idea of a group of friends, like the Muskateers. "The Brotherhood? I like it, that has a bit of a ring to it, sounds sexist though." "Pfft, well if girls would want to join they will have to cope with it" Harry said, smirking. "Mm, do you think Quintus and Apollo should join?" Tom asked, mainly out of loyalty.  
"Well, if they are interested, they have to earn it" Richard said laughing, the idea of an elite pranking group in Hogwarts sounding really good, "our induction process will be very hard."  
"So do you agree guys, the Brotherhood should be our new name?" Harry said.  
"The Brotherhood" Tom said confidently, loving the sound and thinking of opposing the Slytherin group.  
"The Brotherhood" Richard repeated, dreaming of the possible new pranking opportunities ahead, and sneaking into Hogsmeade two years earlier.

A few hours later, The Brotherhood were settling to a big breakfast at the Great Hall. On his way to sitting at his usual place beside the rest of the First Year Gryffindors, Tom searched the Slytherin table for Jodie, finding her in the company of the Seventh Years who kidnapped her the night before, and beside a pale Nathaniel. It was different to what he expected, before, he always noticed that Nathaniel was one of the top dogs, but it looked like that place had fallen to Jodie, now leering, now talking with Regina hanging at her every word, now looking like a Slytherin Queen.

"So where the hell did you guys go last night?" Apollo said looking curious, Jack and Sally-Anne looked curious too, but Tara sat disapproving with her arms folded. "Ah, Apollo, we just went out for a nice big walk, nothing special" Richard said, giving a conspirical wink to the rest of his brotherhood.


End file.
